Journey of the Xing
by August Trinity
Summary: This is the final collection of all three legs of the story: The New World, Fisk, and A Journey's End. It is a story spanning through the lives of three people, Xing Warriors, who have trained their whole live's in preparation for the final fight against Hei'an, leader of the Phantom Army. It is time for the phantoms to fall!
1. Chapter 1

Journey of the Xing

Part 1

The New World

A Kung Fu Panda FanFic

 **Hey all! August Trinity here, collecting the entire journey onto one story: Journey of the Xing. This first leg I wrote way back in the seventh grade, so its quality is a bit behind. But, if you will pull through and read on, you'll see my writing quality slowly improve and you'll see me evolve into the writer I am today. So please, enjoy, Review how you thought I was back then, and read on! This is the story that made me who I am today!**

Chapter 1

It was a horrible time in Beijing. My people tried pointlessly to fight against the creatures. They were coming from everywhere. Cracks in the floor, holes in the walls. Their forces were endless. But no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't stop them. Our most powerful warriors, the Xing Warriors(Sh-ing warriors.) I was in training to be one, mastering every form of martial arts known to man, including the American MMA. As I was surrounded, my family's dead bodies lay in front of me. The only weapon I had was my Xing Mentors Xing War Staff. Knowing that fighting was pointless, I took off running.

The beasts we were fighting were shadow phantoms, unbeatable by any normal weapon. They must be defeated by Xing, who possess special abilities they can activate through their weapons. I wasn't yet fully trained, needing to only master one last art. Kung Fu, the study of animal fighting style. The last art I learned was Pai Shua, the study of animal spirits. I learned to unleash my spirit, but I can only do it once. I possess the White Tiger spirit, same as the Zodiac year I was born. My name is Sky, as for my swift motion and balance with the universe.

As I ran through the forest, I noticed a cave, where I could easily hide. I decided to go for it and ran harder. Once inside, I waited for the beasts to run by me, and then took my staff at hand. The staff was formed specifically for me by my mentor. Made completely of Xing energy, it is indestructible, and lighter than bamboo. It as colored blue, and was decorated with symbols that stood for the Xing code. Strength, Mercy, Honor, Unity, Balance, and another symbol I never translated. I used the staff to activate my Xing Power, and trace the symbol for a portal to a different dimension. Mentor told me to use this symbol if the Phantom beasts ever attacked, and seek out the one called Shifu.

Once the portal opened, I jumped in, and my vision blacked out. When I woke up, I felt warmer than usual and soft…literally. My skin was covered in some soft substance, and my Xing Robes had changed to a blue silk vest and black silk pants. My staff was tied to my back, and suddenly my memory came flooding back. My people killed, I jumped through a portal to seek out Shifu. When I closer inspected myself, I realized that the soft stuff was fur…white fur. I'd somehow been turned into an animal.

"Mister? Hello? Earth to tiger!" I heard

I then noticed a kid…a bunny to be exact, trying to get my attention.

"Hey, are you ok? You appeared in this alley in a flash of light!" the bunny exclaimed

"Yeah, I'm fine kid. Where am I?" I asked

"The valley of piece, outside Mr. Pings Noodle Shop" he replied

I then looked around and noticed that the entire town was old style china, not the current 21st century. There were no cars, or anything.

"Where can I find Shifu?" I asked

"Up at the jade palace, but good luck. Nobody gets past the furious 5. Anybody who enters uninvited gets there butts kicked" he replied

"I can handle myself. Thanks kid!" I said as I stood up and began running towards the big mountain the bunny pointed to.

When I got to the base of the 3,000,000 stairs, I began a steady jog up them. It took almost a half hour, but I finally made it to the top, breathing partially hard. When I looked around, I saw a BIG gate, already opened, so I walked in.

"Hello? Anybody here?" I called out

Suddenly, I was knocked to the ground from behind, and a female voice behind me began speaking.

"Tai Lung, how did you escape? You better start talking or I'll snap your neck" she said

Out of pure instinct, I used my legs to spin around, using the tork o throw her off and get to my feet. When I looked, I saw an amazingly strong looking tiger, standing in a fighting position meant completely for offence. She then lunged, her left fist hurling at my face, but I easily deflected by grabbing her wrist and throwing her behind me. Suddenly, 4 more warriors jumped out of various places, surrounding me. There was a Crain, a Viper, a Monkey, and a Praying Mantis. They all entered defensive positions, and began moving towards me.

"Tai Lung, you won't escape this time. We are ending you!" said the viper

"WHO IS TAI LUNG?! I'm here looking for a master named Shifu" I said, trying to stop them from attacking. I wasn't afraid, but as a Xing I'm not supposed to fight when I can do other things to prevent it.

They all dropped their stances and looked at me funny. Guess the realized I'm not who they thought I was. Voice must've been higher. I'm only 14 years old, but I'm tall and well-built so I guess it's an easy mistake.

"This isn't Tai Lung. Sounds like a cub to me" said the viper as she slithered towards me.

"What's your name, and what's your business here?" the viper asked in a female voice

"Sky is my name. I'm here on behalf of my people. Our town was destroyed by Phantom Beasts, dark creatures. I was sent by my master to seek Shifu to continue my mastery of Kung Fu. I fear time is short. The beasts could've fallowed me" I explained

"Well if you want to continue your training with Shifu as your master, you'll need to pass a test. Choose one of us to fight. If you last 60 seconds, you may talk to Shifu" said the monkey

"First, may I learn your names?" I asked

"Master Tigress" said the tiger

"Master Viper" said the viper

"Master Monkey" said the monkey

"Master Crain" said the Crain

"And Master Mantis" said the mantis

"Very distinct names, aren't they?" I asked sarcastically

"Choose your opponent" they all said at once

After a little while of thinking, I decided on Tigress. I needed to study the tiger style, so this was a good start. I old them my choice, and they looked at me like I was crazy as Tigress stepped forward. She readied her stance, and I took my staff off my back and set it aside, then got into my own stance. Then she lunged, so I countered with a kick, hitting her in the side. She stepped back to retaliate, but I didn't give her the chance. I jumped into the air, a good 10 feet, and called to my animal spirit.

"TO THE SKY AND ABOVE, WHITE TIGER!" I yelled, unleashing a spirit tiger that knocked Tigress off her feet.

She fell to the ground, clenching her ribs in pain. I was worried I overdid it and rushed to her side.

"Oh god, I'm sorry! I think I overdid it! Don't move, I may have caused some damage" I commanded

She listened as I felt around her rib cage for anything out of the ordinary. I didn't find anything, so I guessed she was just bruised. I wasn't going to take the chance, though.

"Is there a medical room anywhere?" I asked

"Yeah, fallow me!" said Monkey

Since I didn't want Tigress getting hurt, I picked her up and carried her.

"What are you doing?" she asked

"You shouldn't walk until we know how bad it is" I answered

She was quiet after that, and I fallowed Monkey into what I assumed was the infirmary. While there I asked Monkey to get something to wrap her ribs in. he jumped onto a shelf to get it while I set Tigress on the cot.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I need you to take your shirt off for a minute" I said

"Are you sure? You couldn't just wrap around my vest?" she asked, clearly being nervous

"No. don't worry, I won't touch anything, and I won't stare" I assured her

She hesitated, but undid the straps to her vest and removed it, revealing an uncomfortable looking chest wrap. I then took the wrapping from Monkey, who instantly averted his gaze. I started at the center of her stomach, then wrapped it around her entire chest, then a couple times around her shoulder, before tying it off and cutting the remainder away with one of my new claws.

"Ok, you're all good!" I said

She put her vest back on and stood up, looking at me with slight irritation.

"You weren't supposed to beat me, you were supposed to last 60 seconds" she said

"I know. I shouldn't have used that move. I haven't quite mastered it yet" I said, then added "if you'd like to get me back, I'll take the blow with honor"

She looked as if she was considering it, then gave me a small punch to the chest. I barely even felt it, but tigress had a grin on her face.

"There, we're even. I'll go fetch Shifu" she said and walked off

When I looked over at monkey, his eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open. I smiled at the sight.

"What's up with you?" I asked

"Y-You got T-Tigress to smile! How did you do that? She never smiles!" he said

"I don't know. She kinda reminds me of my sister. But she was killed by the Phantom Beasts" I stated growing sad at the thought

"I'm sorry to hear that. Let's go to the training hall. Shifu will meet us there" he said

I nodded and we began walking.

"So where do you come from?" he asked

"Yeah!" said Mantis who suddenly landed on Monkeys shoulder

"I'm from Beijing. Or what used to be Beijing anyway. There isn't anything left of it" I answered

"What about these phantom beasts?" Mantis asked

"They come from a dark place. Where all people who haven't lived a good life go when they die. And if these people are strong enough, they break free as phantom beasts, and they only seek to destroy. The only way to defeat them is by using Xing Power, and a Xing Warriors weapon-CRAP!" I yelled, realizing my staff was back at the gate

I took off running with monkey unable to keep up. I ran back to the gate, where a small animal was holding my staff.

"No!" I yelled as I flew through the air, going for a kick

"Tai Lung!" the animal yelled as he countered my kick by hitting pressure points all over my body, stunning me. I fell to the ground, and somehow the impact broke me free of my paralysis. I then got up and looked at the animal in amazement. Not even my Mentor mastered that move! This must be Shifu.

"Master Shifu?" I asked

"Yes! You're definitely not Tai Lung. Who are you?" he asked

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could I saw Tigress running to us. Before she made it, she tripped and landed on her side, then screamed in pain.

"Tigress!" I yelled, then ran to her, grabbing my staff from Shifu as I passed.

I put it back on my back before arriving at Tigress's side, kneeling down next to her. She was clenching her ribs again, and this time I knew she broke one.

"I told you to be careful! Let's get you-oof!" I was kicked away from her by Shifu, who got by her and asked her what happened

"I happened. They said that before I could meet you, I had to last 60 seconds in a fight with a warrior of my choice. I chose Tigress and used a reckless move that almost broke her ribs. They were bruised pretty bad, but I know she broke one now. I can help if you let me" I said while walking back over to them

Without waiting for any answer from Shifu, I picked Tigress up and walked over to the Infirmary, where I took off her vest and all wrappings she had on, including the chest wrappings that covered her breasts. I didn't pay any attention to them, since I had to set a broken rib. It was easy to find. There was a bump on the side of her chest that showed where the rib was.

"Ok, this is gonna hurt, a lot. I'm gonna count to 3, then I'm gonna push it into place, ok?" I asked

She nodded, so I began to count.

"One!" without making it any further, I pushed it into place, and she screamed in pain. When she finally stopped, she said "what was that?! You said three!"

"I know I did. That's why I counted to one" I clarified

"Well that hurt! Now wrap me up" she commanded

Without waiting, I wrapped her up the same way as before, then picked her up and walked out of the room.

"Where is the place you sleep? You need to rest until that heals" I said

"Up those stairs. My room is the one at the end of the hall" she replied

I nodded and walked up the stairs toward what she called the barracks. It was a small building, consisting of only bedrooms. I walked to the one at the end of the hall and pushed the door open, walking in and laying Tigress on her cot.

"Why are you doing all this?" she asked

"All of what?" I asked in return

"When you first got here I thought you would be an enemy, and now you're caring for me like I'm your little sister" she said

"That's because you remind me of my sister. She was killed by the Phantom Beasts" I said, again growing sad

"Funny. You remind me of someone who was like a brother to me. He went missing one night at the orphanage I used to live at" she replied

"You were an orphan?"

"Yeah. Nobody wanted me because I couldn't control my anger or my strength, so they treated me like a monster. Then Shifu came along and helped me gain control, then adopted me and brought me here. He's like my father, but not my father" she said

"I see. Well rest up! I'm gonna go talk to him" I said

"OK. Goodnight!" she replied

I then walked out, closing the door behind me. I was about to walk out of the barracks, when I heard Shifus voice behind me.

"I've never seen a staff like this before" he said

I turned around and saw him holding my Xing Staff, and I instantly started checking my back. Not there. How did he pull that off?

"It's very special. Used by Xing Warriors like my grandfather and my old master to kill phantom beasts. I was sent here to find you after they destroyed my home town and killed my family" I replied

"Well I do expect an explanation about all this in the morning. For now let me ask you why you and Tigress seem to be so close to each other so soon" he said

"From what she tells me I remind her of a friend she used to have, and she reminds me of my sister. So I guess we just got close based on that" I said

"Well then since we have no spare rooms, you'll spend the night with her. Don't try anything funny" he warned, then tossed me my staff

I caught it and said "Thank you master" before walking back into Tigresses room

"Back so soon?" she asked

"Shifu says I should spend the night in here, since we somehow are acting like siblings" I replied

"Well then get comfy. Goodnight" she said again before rolling over

"Goodnight" I replied then lay down and quickly fell asleep


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I woke the next morning to a loud gong, followed by multiple voices saying "good morning master!" When I looked around, I noticed Tigress wasn't in the room. I got up and walked over to it, ready to open, but suddenly Master Shifu opened it for me.

"Good morning Sky" he said

"Good morning master Shifu" I replied

"Have you prepared an explanation?" he asked

"Yes. Where shall we do this?" I asked in response

"Come to the kitchen. We can have breakfast and tea while we discuss" he replied

We then walked down the hall and to another building, where there were bathing areas and a kitchen. We went into the kitchen and there was already food made. Fried rice, dumplings, and fruit tea. I prepared a plate for myself and Shifu while he was talking about a special tournament that would be happening tomorrow. To find someone who will be the Dragon Warrior at least I think that's what he called it. When I sat down with my food, I waited for Shifus permission to begin. He took a sip of his tea, and then nodded at me.

"OK, I'm gonna start way before my generation. Back when my grandfather was alive. He was the first to set on a quest to master every version of martial arts. He was an amazing fighter…so great, he could shatter a boulder with one finger! But his skill came with a cost. Many warriors from all over the world came to challenge him, all of them wanting the title of greatest warrior, so no law enforcement would dare get in their way. One day, an extremely powerful army of these people came, each seeking to destroy him. Naturally he beat all of them, but they were too strong to stay dead. Their power brought them back to life, in a form much more powerful. They became the first Phantom Beasts. My grandfather had the only power that could defeat them…the Xing power. He used it to defeat the army, but at great cost. It took his life. His brother has trained my uncle in the Xing arts, and my uncle trained me. But I'm not a master of Xing yet. The only art I haven't mastered is Kung Fu. We though the Beasts were gone, but we were wrong. They returned, stronger, and with larger forces. All of the Xing Warriors were killed, and my people were wiped out. That's why I've come here. I need a master in Kung Fu to teach me the tiger style" I concluded

Shifu pondered all the information I gave him. After a little while, he finally spoke.

"With this information, I can see you are a very important warrior. But I cannot teach you Tiger Style. If Tigress is willing, she can. Try asking her, and she might" he said

"Thank you Master" I said as I exited the Kitchen and ran to the training hall to find Tigress

When I got there, she was sitting on a bench clenching her chest. THAT'S RIGHT! She broke a rib. I walked over to her.

"Let me guess…tried to train with that injury?" I asked

"I have to deal with it. I have to compete in the tournament tomorrow" she replied starting to get up

"Well then come with me. I've got a way to heal you right up" I said

I grabbed her wrist and began leading her out the door.

"Hey! Watch those claws! They're sharp" she yelled

"Sorry. Not used to having them" I replied

Without another word, I brought her to the steps of the palace that led down into the valley. Wanting to show off an awesome technique, I picked Tigress up in my arms.

"Hold on. This is gonna be fun!" I said, causing her to grip on to my shoulders

"Flying Technique!" I yelled, then jumped into the air and glided down the stairs effortlessly

It took about 5 minutes for us to make to the bottom, but we did without any injury.

"Fun or what?" I asked, trying to put tigress down, but she was frozen, holding on to me

"That…was not…a Kung Fu…technique" she said, slowly letting go of me

"Nope. That was Karate" I clarified

"So is there a good noodle shop around here?" I asked

"Yeah. Pings Noodle Shop, but we don't have any money, and he doesn't give free meals" she replied

"Got it" I said

I then took my staff off my back and drew a symbol for current money, which makes a small bag a full of money that I can use wherever I currently am. Once the symbol was drawn, I put a little Xing power into it and a bag of money small enough to carry in my hand appeared.

"How did you do that?!" Tigress demanded

"I was born with a special power, and I can do things like that with it" I said

"And you need me to train you?" she asked

"Yeah is you cou-how did you know that?" I asked

"I was taking a bath when you and Shifu were talking about it" she replied

"You think I'd of noticed" I said, then added "anyway, I'm gonna go grab a bowl of soup, stay here"

She nodded and I walked over to the noodle shop. When I walked in, I noticed a big panda sweeping the floors.

"Sorry dude, we aren't open yet" he said

"I could tell. I need an order of to-go soup for helping someone heal. I overdid it in a duel and now Master Tigress-"

"Master Tigress! You know Master Tigress?" the panda asked while running over to me

"Yeah, she's kinda like my sister now I guess" I replied

"You gotta get me up there to meet her!" he said

"You can come up tomorrow at the tournament" I stated

"What tournament?" he asked

"I'm not supposed to tell anything past there. Sorry. Anyway, think I could get that soup?" I asked

"I still can't make anything until we're open" he said

"Then I'll be back later. Got other things to get" I replied then walked off

I went outside to find Tigress.

"No soup?" she asked

"They aren't open yet. The panda in there seems to be a really big fan of yours" I replied

She shrugged

"Let's go get the right herbs for the medicine" I said

She nodded and we went to the market, getting all the herbs we need, and talking.

"So what's the big deal about being one of the Furious 5?" I asked

"We are the most well trained warriors in china. One of us is destined to be the dragon warrior, and everyone seems to think it's gonna be me. Easy to say I'm kinda excited" she replied

"What's the big deal about being the dragon warrior?" I asked

Suddenly, she fell to the ground clenching her chest again.

"Crap. You've been walking too much. Go back up the Jade Palace. I can handle this" I said

"But-"

"Don't argue. This medicine won't work if you put too much strain on that rib. Just go" I commanded

She walked up without even trying to argue. I then went back to shopping, getting all the Herbs. Once I'd gotten everything I needed, I went back to the noodle shop to get the soup. As I walked in, I noticed the place was packed. There was a long line at the counter where you order your food. I stood at the end of the line, but 2 seconds later the panda walked up to me with a bowl of noodle soup.

"Here, I made it as soon as we opened. It cost 2 copper" he said

"Thanks. I'll get this to Tigress and she'll be back to normal in no time" I said while handing him the money

"But can I get another bowl? This smells really good!" I said, but suddenly he screamed and ran behind the counter

I turned around and saw a bunch of Snow leopards carrying umbrellas, and everybody was running out of the Noodle Shop in fear. I turned back around and walked up to the counter.

"Seriously though, I'd like that soup. It smells awesome!" I repeated, ignoring the cats behind me

"Are you crazy? Hide! Those the ladies of the shade!" the panda said

"I don't have time. I need to get this stuff back to Tigress" I replied

"That's a valuable looking staff you got there" said one of the leopards who was now standing next to me

"Really isn't worth much in the hands of an inexperienced fighter" I stated

"You saying I'm inexperienced?" she said, anger clear in her voice

"No. I'm saying this staff is special. Used by the wrong person, it's useless" I clarified

"Well then we'll just take this useless object off your hands" the one behind my said while wrapping her fingers around the staff

"I wouldn't do that. You'll regret it" I warned

She laughed and took the staff off my back, and began walking away. I sighed and put all my herbs and the soup down, then turned around.

"Split Tiger Strike!" I yelled, sending out a small wave a Xing energy that split into 3 and hit all of them

The one holding my staff was knocked over, throwing my staff into the air in the process. My staff landed in front of me, so I picked it up and put it on my back again. I then grabbed my stuff and walked past the leopards on the ground, but noticed one of them crying.

"If we go back with nothing, we'll be homeless" she said to herself

I felt bad so I pulled out the bag of many and threw it in front of her. She looked at me with confusion.

"Say you stole it" I said, took to flight

When I got back to the palace, I noticed a bunch of cannons and stuff being set up for tomorrow. Pretty intense stuff, I must say. I walked up to the barracks and into Tigress' room. She was reading a scroll when I walked in. I then mixed the ground herbs into the soup and gave it to her.

"This will make you better in no time" I said

"What did you need the soup for?" she asked

"If you didn't mix it, it would give you major stomach problems" I replied as she started eating

"Who are the Ladies of the Shade?" I asked

"A group a Leopards who make their living by stealing, tricking, and acting. Why?" she replied

"I ran into three of them and they tried to take my staff. When I knocked them over, one started crying and said that if they go back empty handed, they'll lose their home" I said

"So what'd you do?" she asked

"I gave them what was left in the sack of money and told them to act like they stole it" I replied

"Well I'll cut you some slack since you're new, but they played you" she stated

"Noted. Rest up until tomorrow. From the looks of it you're gonna be fighting hard. I'm gonna prepare for some side entertainment" I said

With that she laid back and continued eating her soup, and I went down to the village. I needed to put up posters for what I was planning. It was gonna be awesome! Very common where I'm from, but new to this place. I used my staff to draw a picture in the dirt, then drew a symbol over it that turned it into a stack of posters that said that I'd be performing an unknown talent to them. But when I did that, I couldn't help but feel eyes on me. But when I looked, there was nobody looking.

I decided to ignore it and went on hanging my posters on various walls. I also put one outside Mr. Pings Noodle Shop. But before I could move on, the panda walked out and towards me.

"Hey, you still want that bowl of soup? We owe you one for getting rid of those three earlier" he said

"Sure, why not?" I replied

As we began walking in to the eatery, he said "My name's Po by the way"

"Sky. Pleased to meet you" I replied

"Skip the formal stuff, I'm not in to that" he commanded

"Ok" I replied

We then walked in and I sat at an empty table. After a few minutes, he brought me my soup and sat across from me.

"So how'd you manage to become friends with Tigress?" he asked

"Well, I needed someone to train me in Kung Fu, and everybody recommended Master Shifu, so I went up to request that I be trained, when out of nowhere, Tigress attacked! She hit me from behind, causing me to fall, and then the rest of the five surrounded me. For some reason they thought I was some dude named Tai Lung. Guess he must be a white tiger too, huh? Anyway, once we cleared up the fact that I wasn't, they asked me what my business was being there, so I told them I wanted Shifu to train me. But they said I needed to first last 60 seconds in a fight with one of them. I got to choose which one. I chose Tigress and accidentally bruised a couple of her ribs. So in apology I bandaged her. But then she decided to run, and tripped. She broke one of her ribs, and I continued to care for her. we both finally came clean yesterday and told each other that I remind her of a friend she used to have, and she reminds me of my little sister who was killed in a really big battle" I concluded

"That…is…AWESOME!" he exclaimed

Right then, I finished my soup.

"I've got some preparations to make. I'll be back tomorrow for lunch. Later, Po!" I said

"Bye!" he replied

As I was walking out, I ran into someone. Who then dropped a bag of groceries. We both instantly dropped to the ground to start picking them up.

"Crap, I'm so sorry" I said

"No it's nothing, don't worry" SHE said

I looked up at her just as she looked at me, and saw a very, VERY beautiful Jungle Leopard. What I also noticed was a slight glow in her eyes. Like the glow I've got except hers let off an orange glow. Mine let off a blue. She wore a long sleeve silk shirt that joined with ties going in a straight line down the middle of her torso, and the same black silk pants as everyone else. We then stood up and she walked in as I walked out. I turned around to look at her and noticed 2 daggers attached to the back of her belt. The handles and sheaths were decorated with orange symbols that I could swear I'd seen somewhere. I decided to forget it for now and go back up to the palace to prepare for what I was gonna do.

I walked up the stairs since I didn't want to fly. It took a while, but I got there eventually. When I walked through the gate, I saw Viper slither into the barracks. Probably going to see tigress. After I set up my "Surprise" for after the tournament, I went up to the barracks to go get ready for bed. When I got up there I heard Tigress and Viper talking. Something about some new girl in the village who seemed odd. I knocked on the door for fear of walking in on a naked tiger.

"Come in" I heard Viper say

I walked in and noticed that Tigress was standing up instead of resting on the bed.

"Your rib feeling better?" I asked

"Mostly. If I'm just standing then I'm fine, but if I try to do anything more than running then it hurts" she replied

"Then it won't be healed in time. Sit on the cot and lift up your arm" I commanded

She complied and sat down, lifting up her right arm for me. I then place my left hand on her upper arm to hold it still, and pulled my other arm back into a punch position, with my pointer and middle finger extended. She suddenly jumped off the cot.

"Whoa!" she screamed

"What'd I do?" I asked

"You were gonna jab me in my broken rib!" she replied

"What? You've got this all wrong. Just trust me, and sit down. This won't hurt at all. Depending on how well I do it, it may even feel relaxing" I said

"I swear if this hurts, I'll kick you straight through the wall!" she warned

"And I'll let you. Are you gonna sit down or what?" I asked

Without saying anything, she sat down, and I got back into the same position. I focused my energy into the tips of my two fingers, and they began glowing blue. I noticed that Viper was curled up like a rattle snake in the corner as if afraid I was going to explode. I then slowly placed my fingers where her broken rib was and started transferring the energy of my fingers to it.

"Oh my god! It's like a massage!" she said while sighing

After a few minutes, I stopped and let go of her, standing up straight.

"See, no pain!" I weakly said

Suddenly, my legs gave out and I fell on my knees.

"Sky!" they both yelled as they rushed to me

"What happened?" asked Viper

"Healing broken bones is pretty exhausting. I'm gonna need to sleep a little extra tonight" I replied

I then crawled over to my normal spot on the floor.

"You can sleep on the cot with me if you'd like. I kinda owe you now" Tigress offered

"Thanks, but that's a small cot. I don't think we'd both fit. I'm fine here, but I will be looking in to buying a matt" I said, then sat down cross legged to take my vest off

One my vest was off, I lay my staff on the ground next to me and said my goodnights, ready to fall asleep, when Viper spoke.

"Did you see anyone that seemed odd in town today?" she asked

"Yeah. I bumped in to a Jungle Leopard outside Mr. Ping's. She wasn't a lady of the shade, but she was carrying these really weird daggers decorated with symbols that I could swear I've seen somewhere before" I replied

"And she was also wearing a weird Gui(G-ee.) It was orange and covered with tree designs. Kinda like how my vest is covered with bamboo and clouds. I'll have to sleep on this. Goodnight" I said, closing my eyes


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

*Gong*

I almost hit the sealing this time. Need to get used to that thing. Today was the day of the big tournament. It was gonna be great! Once my heart rate slowed down, I got up and put my vest on. I then put my staff on my back and went outside and down to the village for breakfast. It only took a few minutes to fly down. Mr. Pings was packed! Lots of animals ready to eat the amazing Noodle Soup. I walked in just in time to see Po almost yell at a Bunny as it walked away with a bowl of Soup that had a throwing star in it.

"Careful! That soup is…sharp" he said

Just as the bunny walked by I grabbed the star and walked up to the counter. Po was talking to his "dad" about the place he belonged.

"And the place where you belong is-" his dad was interrupted

"I know…here" Po said

"No, it's tables 3, 2, and 27. Service with a smile!" Mr. Ping said while loading Po's arms with bowls of soup and moving his cheeks into the smiling position.

Po sighed and walked out into the restaurant, placing bowls at different tables and at one point accidentally dipping his tail into a kids soup. I couldn't help but laugh when that happened. I decided I'd just throw the star up the stairs, and it stuck in the wall at the top. When I turned around to face Po, he was looking at a poster at the front of the Shop that said how Master Oogway was gonna pick the Dragon Warrior today. Without even noticing me, he began pushing people out of the Shop talking about how they waited 100 years for this day. I decided to meet him at the Tournament and took to flight, totally forgetting about breakfast.

When I got there, a lot of people were already piled into the seats for the tournament. Shifu and Oogway were both standing in the place I have no name for. It's a place a few yards in front of the training hall. Since all the seats were full, I took a place at the top of the entrance gate. Perfect view of the entire arena! Right as the gate closed and the Tournament began, I heard a voice behind me.

"No no no wait! I'm coming *whack* Oww!" I heard fallowed by a thump

I turned around to see Po get up off the ground and start banging on the door, but he was in perfect sink with the drums being played, so it was unnoticeable.

"Let me in!" he yelled

Master Crain was going first, dodging the 1000 flaming arrows shot from cannons. Po tried to look through a window, bit it was shut when master Crain made too much wind force with his wings, causing Po to be knocked onto his butt. I laughed, but laughed even harder when he started backing up to see Crain flying, but fell down the stairs in the process. When he climbed back up, Crain had just finished, and Po grunted/sighed in exasperation. After that he sat on the stairs, chin resting in his hand.

"Now watch as Master Tigress fights against the wooden juggernaut! Trust me, you have seen nothing yet!" Master Shifu yelled at the crowd

"I know!" Po yelled back

I didn't want to miss Tigress' part in this, so I ignored Po. Just as she was about to start, I heard Po scream as he flew over my head, just to make a painful landing on the ground. Suddenly, master Oogway raised a hand with his eyes closed.

"I sense the Dragon Warrior is among us" he said

The crowd fell silent as all of the furious 5 lined up in front of him.

"People of The Valley of Peace, master Oogway will now choose the Dragon Warrior!" Shifu announced

Suddenly, Po shot into action. I watched as he grabbed a chair along with a bunch of fireworks, and began tying them all together. Once everything was strapped down, he lit the fuse and sat in the chair.

"Po…what are you doing!" Mr. Ping said as he arrived at the top of the stairs and began blowing out all the fuses

"Dad stop! I'm going to see the Dragon Warrior!" Po replied

"But you finally had the noodle dream!" Mr. Ping protested

"*sigh* I lied Dad. I don't dream about noodles" Po said, then looked and realized that the fuses were nearly to the rockets

"I love Kung Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" Po yelled till he ran out of breath, but the rockets never lit

Po fell forward in the chair, and his lip began to quiver. I felt bad for him, so I took my staff off my back and aimed it at the chair. I then willed the rockets to light, just as Po was standing up, and he went flying into the wall, face scraping as the rockets pushed him forward.

"Po! Come back!" Mr. Ping yelled as if it would help

As the rockets finally managed to fly upwards, Po flew with them, flying way into the air. When the rockets finally all exploded, the chair turned into ash and Po fell to the ground, screaming the entire way. And just as Master Oogway was about to point a finger at one of the five with his eyes closed, Po fell in the way, and Oogways finger remained on him. I jumped from my perch and ran to where the five, Oogway, and Po were. Po was shaking his head clear of the dizziness from the impact, and when it was clear, his eyes widened.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to meet the Dragon Warrior" Po said

"How interesting" replied Oogway

"Master, are you pointing to me?" Tigress asked, her voice firm but her eyes said she was hopeful, and Po nodded in agreement

"You" Oogway replied

"Huh?" Po said, doing quick motions back and forth, but Oogway stayed pointing at him

"Me?" Po asked

"You" Oogway repeated

"The universe has brought us the Dragon Warrior!" he exclaimed, using his odd staff to hold up Po's arm

A small gong then wrung as Po was carried off in a weird chair thing that I had no idea what it was called. Shifu was quick to fallow him as they were dropped in the Hall of Heroes. The 5 and I stood there, confused.

"Po is the Dragon Warrior?" I said to myself

"You know him?" Tigress asked

"Yeah, he works down at Mr. Pings. Never would've guessed he would be it" I replied

"I'll be in the training hall…" Tigress said as she stormed off to the said location

I gave the other 4 one look and fallowed her. When I got into the training hall, Tigress wasn't training, just sitting down meditating.

"You know, it really is easier to train, if you actually train" I said

"I waited so long for this…my hopes so high, and just to be upstaged by a Panda?" she asked

"Who says he upstaged you? It was just the way things were meant to be. Now don't get me wrong, you would've made a grate dragon warrior" I said, grabbing her chin and pulling it to where she was facing me

"But I think you're just fine being Master Tigress" I concluded

She flashed a small smile and leaned against me.

"I know you aren't my real brother, but you make a pretty good one" she said

"Any time, sis" I joked

"Now what do you say we do some real train-"

"Tigress, Master Shifu wants us all to dual Po" Monkey said right after bursting in and right before leaving

"We can train tomorrow. I'll teach you the tiger style then" Tigress said then Ran off to go find everyone else

I fallowed her after sitting for a few seconds. When I got out there, Viper was already throwing Po around.

"Oh I'm sorry but I thought you said you were ready" Viper said

"Oww…that was AWESOME! Let's go again!" Po exclaimed

Shifu had an annoyed look on his face as he snapped his fingers, signaling viper to switch out for Monkey. Monkey and Po both grabbed a bow staff and began to dual. Po just held his staff in front of him and got whacked…everywhere. But after Monkey was done he just pounded his hand against his fist. This process kept going until all of the furious 5 had fought Po.

"Alright Panda, I've been going easy on you up till now, but not anymore. Your next opponent shall be me" Shifu said

"Oh ho ho Yeah!" Po exclaimed in excitement, and Shifu began tossing him around

"In Kung Fu, you must find your opponents weaknesses and use them against him. Make you opponent quit!" Shifu finished with 2 fingers inside Po's nose while standing on his back

"But a real warrior never quits! Don't worry master, I shall never quit!" Po said, his voice a little squeaky

It looked like Shifu could've killed Po there is he didn't have control. He just tossed him through the front gate and down the stairs. The 5 and I walked over to the stairs to watch Po continuously bounce down the 1000 stairs.

"If he's smart he won't come back up those stairs" Tigress stated

"But he will" Monkey added

"He's never gonna quit is he?" Crane asked

"Never gonna quit bouncing, I can tell you that much" Mantis joked

After that they all went to the barracks, but I stayed. Po continued to bounce for a while, until he finally crashed into a cart at the bottom. I couldn't help but laugh. I then saw Chang, the messenger bird, flying above me, but something wasn't right. His silk robes were blackened in some places, and his feathers seemed ruffled. Wherever he went, something bad happened. I watched as he flew into an opening at the top of master Shifus cabin. After a few minutes, Shifu came sprinting out and ran towards the sacred Peach Tree. I could tell something was bad, so I took to flight and fallowed him. When I got up there, he was talking to Master Oogway.

"Master, I've got some horribly bas news" Shifu said

"There is only news. There is no good or bad" Oogway replied

"Master, Tai Lung has escaped Chor Gom Prison!" Shifu nearly yelled

I felt my own heart skip a beat. I didn't know who exactly Tai Lung was, but I could tell from the big deal everybody makes of him that he is not a very good guy. Oogway froze for a few seconds.

"That is bad news" he said

I tuned out there conversation to think on my own while I hovered above them. Tai Lung has escaped, and Po is the only one who can stop him? We are so screwed.

"Master, you can't leave me! Master!" I heard Shifu yell

I looked down and saw Oogway, glowing bright gold, and being surrounded by leaves from the Sacred Peach Tree. No…now is the time where we figure out if he goes up…or if he goes down. I watched the glowing leaves float away, but the never stopped glowing. He's going up. The leaves would've turned black if he were going down. I looked down to where Shifu was, but he had already left. I floated to the ground. I just stood there, looking out at where Master Oogways spirit had gone, when I heard Po screaming. I turned around to see him running down from the Kitchen. Just before he reached the stairs, Shifu landed in front of him from somewhere in the air. I didn't want to hear whatever they were doing, so I went to mine and Tigress' room.

When I walked in, she was writing in a scroll, making diagrams and commands and stuff.

"Hey Tigress" I said

"Oh hey! I've been making this scroll for you. It's filled with basic, moderate, advanced, and master Tiger Style moves. Once the ink dries, you can study it. You should be able to master Tiger Style with it" she said

"Thanks! So I uh…heard Tai Lung escaped. Who is he anyway?" I asked

"*sigh* sit down. It's a long story" she replied

I did as I was told. Once I sat down next to her on the cot, she began her story.

"Tai Lung was a student here. He was the first to master the 1000 scrolls of kung Fu. But he wasn't just a student…Shifu found him as a cub, and raised him as a son. But when he showed talent in Kung Fu, Shifu trained him. He believed in him, and told him he was destined for greatness. But it was never enough for Tai Lung. He wanted the dragon scroll, something that only the dragon warrior could have, but Oogway saw darkness in his heart, and refused. Outraged, Tai Lung laid waste to the valley. He tried to take the scroll by force, so Shifu had to destroy what he had created. But how could he? Shifu loved Tai Lung like he had never loved anyone before, or since" she concluded

"Wow…and Po is the only one who can stop him?" I asked

"No. if Shifu would let us, The Furious 5 easily could. It's what we've trained for" she replied

We both yawned.

"It's getting late. We should get some rest" I said

She nodded and lay down on her cot while I stood up, removed my Staff and vest, and lay down in my usual spot, falling asleep quickly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I got up before the gong today. I woke from a weird feeling that something wasn't right. When I looked around, Tigress wasn't there. But there was a note on her cot along with the scroll she made me last night. I picked it up and read it. It said that she and the other 4 were going into town for something important, and that I should practice the tiger scroll she made.

*Gong*

Out of reflex I instantly exited the room, and stood at the door with my arms behind my back.

"Good Morning Master" I said

"Good morning. Where are the others?" Shifu asked

"I can hear Po snoring from here, and the Furious 5 went into town. Tigress left me a scroll to study for learning the Tiger Style" I replied

"Well, the panda and I will be doing our own training today. See to it you get yours done. And put your vest back on" he commanded

I got confused, so I looked down and realized that my vest was still in mine and Tigress' room, along with my staff.

"Yes Master" I replied then went into my room to get dressed

I put my vest on and attached my staff to my back, then grabbed the scroll. I then went down to the training hall, where I saw all the things the 5 have to do. Pretty amazing…we don't have a training room that comes close to this in modern time. I got to where I could practice the stances, and did that for less than a minute before I learned all the stances. I always was a fast learner. I then went to the moves. Tigers Claw-a strike to the chest using the palm of your hand along with the tips of all your fingers. Suddenly, my heart began pounding, and my head began to ache.

"No…something is wrong" I said to myself

Something was definitely wrong. I didn't know where I was going, but I was fallowing my instincts. I took to flight and flew faster than ever before. I passed over the town and then the bamboo forest. I had no idea where I was going, but I could see the mountains up ahead, and one of the bridges was broken in half. I flew down to the path since my energy was nearly depleted, and ran on all fours. As I approached the end of the path, I saw Mantis, Viper, Monkey, and Crane all lying motionless on the ground. There was also a White Tiger holding something that was blocked off by a rock, but as I turned the corner, I saw in his grasp was Tigress. He was holding her suspended in the air by her throat, but she was making no attempts to move.

A new burst of energy hit me, and I quickly picked up speed. When I was 100 yards away, I jumped into the air, doing a flying kick in his direction. While in the air, I pulled my staff off my back, and held it. A split second before I hit the other tiger, he saw me and hit my foot to the ground. But before he had time to do anything else, I used the end of my staff to hit him in the bottom of the chin, sending him flying WAY into the air, and dropping Tigress in the progress. I waited for him to land in front of me, on his feet.

"You must be the Dragon Warrior" he said, voice pure evil

"Tai Lung" I said, not giving him the pleasure of knowing I wasn't the Dragon Warrior

I sized him up, and wondered how they confused me for him. He was at least 2 inches taller, and went shirtless. His lower jaw was longer than his upper, and his lower K9 teeth were oversized. Plus his chest was a lot thicker than mine. I was more Tigress size. He lunged at me with his left fist, but I ducked underneath and jabbed him in the ribs, knocking him backwards. But he was quick to bounce back, and bounced back with a vengeance. He launched at me and with one powerful kick, knocked me into another rock. My head spinning and my vision blurred, I could only hear him laughing.

"You're not the Dragon Warrior. You don't even come close! But tell you what…deliver him this message" he said as he picked Tigress up again

"Not even the leader of the Furious 5 could live through a fight with me" he concluded, and grabbed hold of Tigress' chin and the back of her head

It was easy to tell he was gonna snap her neck, and I reacted on pure anger. I flung myself at him and gave him one mighty uppercut, and as he flew into the air, I grabbed my staff and jumped, fallowing him into the clouds. Once we got to equal height, I began beating the hell out of him. I kicked him in the gut, then grabbed his head and pulled it to my knee. I then bunched my hands together and slammed them into his back, knocking him down a couple feet. I then charged my staff with a bunch of Xing Energy and shot it at him.

"Flames of the White Tiger, ULTIMATE XING ATTACK!" I yelled and shot a single energy ball at him. It hit him and he went flying to the ground, and with a loud crack he hit

I flew back down to the ground and saw a giant whole where he must have hit, then walked over to Cranes motionless body. His eyes were open and his pupils were dilated, so it was easy to tell that Tai Lung used a nerve attack. This time, I knew how to fix it. I struck the back of Cranes neck and he instantly started moving.

"Crane, fly the others back to Shifu. I'll meet you the-" I stopped when I noticed Crane looking behind me

I turned around and saw that Tai lung was getting out of the whole, but he wasn't alone. With Tai Lung was the thing a dreaded the most. A Phantom Beast…

"Crane, fly the others back as fast as possible. Things just got a lot worse" I commanded

Without missing a beat, Crane picked everyone up and flew off back towards The Valley of Peace. Tai Lung didn't notice, he was too busy looking at the Phantom Beast. This one was a Shadow Phantom, a beast made of darkness. He stood as tall as Tai Lung, and carried a Phantom Sword, the customary weapon for a blade wielder. Without giving him time to realize who I was, I took off running.

 **30 minutes pass**

When I finally reached the town, it was getting dark, and nobody knew anything. I flew up to the jade palace just in time to see Shifu fixing everybody's paralyses.

"He's done this to send us a message. He wants to scare us but it won't work" Shifu said

"Well…it might, I mean…I'm pretty scared" Po replied

"Po, you are the only one who can defeat Tai Lung now" Shifu stated

"Are you kidding? They're five masters! I'm just one me" Po exclaimed

"But you will have the one thing they did not. The dragon scroll" Shifu said

"He's gonna need more than that" I said while landing in front of them

"Now Tai Lung is working with a Phantom Beast, and I'm afraid Po can't take one of those out" I continued

"Then what do we do?" Po asked

"Po, you come with me to get the scroll. Sky, you and the 5 go clear out the village. Then you fight off the Phantom beast while the 5 guard the villagers" Shifu commanded

We all bowed and ran down to the village, which was already packing up their stuff. How they found out I didn't know, but we needed to get them to safety.

"Sky, get to the center of the village and wait for the Beast. We'll get the villagers to safety" Tigress said

I nodded and ran to where I thought was the center. I looked up and saw that the sky was filling with dark clouds. They're getting close…I can feel it. Suddenly, I heard a fierce battle cry from behind me. I turned around to see Shifu and Tai Lung fighting in mid-air as they fell back down to the hall of heroes. I also noticed Po running up the 1000 stairs with a scroll, and running around destroying the village was…The Phantom Beast. He was holding an old Goat in his hands.

"Hey!" I yelled, grabbing his attention

"This look familiar?" I asked pulling out my staff

"Xing Warrior…the last of your kind" he said

I them charged him as he charged me, and just as we reached each other, he threw a kick at my head. I instantly dropped to my knees and slid underneath his kick. Once I cleared it, I stood up and turned around, grabbing my staff by one end and swinging it around my entire body. Just as it was about to hit him, he blocked with his wrist and gabbed it, throwing me over his head. I slammed through a cart, but managed to get back up, ignoring the pain.

"You're mentor couldn't defeat me! How will-AAAAHHH!" he was knocked aside by a very familiar jungle leopard

"What are you doing?! Get out of here before it is too-wait…those markings on your daggers!" I exclaimed, finally realizing who she was

"Who ever told you that you were the last? Mentor taught me a thing or 2 about other dimensions as well" she said

"Look out!" I warned as the Phantom Beast ran at her

She jumped into the air and he ran past.

"Biyu, how did you get here? You never even mastered your Xing Energy" I asked, then dodged an attack from the beast

"Now really isn't the time" she said while taking out her daggers

Right then, the Phantom took out his Phantom Sword and charged. Biyu and I charged right back, weapons ready. He slashed at her, but I blocked it while she slid underneath, cutting his leg in the process. Once she was out of the way, I kicked him in the chest and he want flying backwards. Then Biyu came back to me and stood at my side.

"You ever learn the Yin Yang Spirit Fire Charge?" She asked

"You insult me" I said

Suddenly, the Phantom charged us again.

"Let's finish this!" he yelled

With that, we all charged each other, but when we got close enough, Biyu and I jumped straight up in the air, going very high, and then locked arms.

"Yin Yang Spirit Charge!" we yelled in unison

We then began spinning in midair, moving so quickly it looked like a blue and orange Yin-Yang symbol. As we continued to spin, we charged out Xing Energy and focused it to where our hands were touching, and it tuned into a ball of energy far greater than the one I used to hit Tai Lung.

"Fire of the spirits, HA!" we yelled again as we thrust our hands forward, sending the ball straight at the beast

When we finally hit the ground, the beast was gone, forced back to the Phantom world and stuck there forever. But there was also a cloud of golden dust everywhere. We had finally won!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I woke the next morning in my newly built home in the village. After the defeat of Tai Lung and the Phantom Beast, Biyu and I built our own home in the village. You're probably wondering who Biyu is, huh? Her name means Jasper, the precious stone. She was my training partner and girlfriend in Beijing, until our relationship was getting in the way of our training. She was relocated to the Hong Kong area, away from me. I thought she was killed when the Phantom Beasts invaded. After we beat the first one together, I mastered the Tiger Style and helped Biyu master her Xing Energy, and we built our house. I looked over to see Biyu still asleep next to me, so I didn't wake her. I quietly got up and walked next door to Mr. Pings to grab a couple to-go soups.

When I got there, I noticed Po was helping Mr. Ping cook.

"Hello Sky! Will you be ordering the usual?" Mr. Ping asked

"Yeah…Hey Po! I see you're taking the day off" I said

"Yeah, Master Shifu had some business to attend to. Something about a letter from Gongmen City. Who knows?" Po replied laughing

"Yeah, no kidding. But whatever it is, I'm sure it's important. I mean…since when does Master Shifu give days off?" I asked jokingly

"Never. Here's your soup, and say hello to Biyu for me!" Po said handing me the food

"I will, have a good day!" I said walking back to my house

When I walked in, Biyu was making some tea. I also noticed that our bed was made and the table was set.

"Did I ever tell you that you work fast?" I asked, startling her

When she jumped, she knocked over a couple cups, which she caught using her left foot, making them all stack up. She then bent down and grabbed them, placing them back on the counter.

"Don't scare me like that!" She said, a smile on her face

"Sorry, but it's true! Anyway, I got breakfast" I replied smiling back

"Put it on the table. The tea is almost ready" She commanded

She was wearing her normal Kung Fu shirt and silk pants, her daggers attached to the back of her belt. Her fur was a little ruffled from sleeping. Never thought I'd see someone get bed arm. The black spots seemed perfectly placed along her fur, the rest of it orange. It made her look like a Bipedal Jungle Leopard. I was wearing what I always do. My blue sleeveless vest with bamboo designs going across it, along with my black silk pants and my staff on my back. I placed one bowl of soup on her side of the table and one on my side, just in time for her to bring the tea over, along with two cups.

"Smells like Jasmine" I observed

"You're correct. These noses are definitely better than the ones we used to have" she said

"Along with our body structure…we can move around the same way as before, but we can double our speed by running on all fours" I added

She then poured tea into both our cups and we began to eat the soup, savoring each bite. After breakfast, we cleaned the tea cups and began our morning review. While the five and Po are training or off on missions, we are pretty much the defenders of the valley. There has only been one Phantom attack since the one that helped Tai Lung, and it was the same breed. We easily defeated it, using the same attack.

"So, you didn't see any trouble near Mr. Pings?" Biyu asked

"Nope. You know Fung and the crocodile bandits are the only people dumb enough to attack Po's dad, and they don't get here till noon anyway" I replied

"True…so I'll go do a little shopping. You know how to call me if anything major happens" she finished, standing up

I opened my mouth to speak, but was stopped when a familiar crocodile came flying past our door, followed by two more and Po running after them. Biyu and I looked at each other with blank expressions.

"Noon" we said simultaneously

"I'll call if anything too bad happens. But other than that I think I can handle it. See you at dinner" I said, walking out the door

I walked past the fight going on between Po and Fung and into town, where I saw Peng, Tai Lungs nephew, buying pottery supplies. He and Po had some problems in the past, which eventually led to him giving up Kung Fu in fear of fallowing his uncle's path. We waved at each other as I passed, and I continued watching for anything abnormal. I couldn't help but feel I was being watched, so I looked around and saw nobody. Suddenly, I saw a white/tan blur to my left, so out of reflex I ducked and then grabbed my attacker's tail, smashing him against the ground.

"How do you know I'm coming?" A familiar Monkey asked

"I don't, but my guard is never down" I said, holding my hands on my hips and grinning

I was suddenly hit in the side by a flying kick, and was sent sliding on my back. I groaned.

"Guards never down, huh?" The newly appeared Tigress asked

Without even moving my body, I raised my right arm with only my pointer finger extended, making the hand gesture that I was making a point.

"Now that wasn't fair" I stated, then stood up

"But you said your guard was never down, so I thought you'd block my kick" She countered

"Still wasn't fair" I mumbled to myself as I walked over

Tigress and I hugged, and I helped Monkey up, before Po came running over.

"Hey guys!" He yelled

"Hey Po!" I greeted

"Where you been?" Po asked, finally reaching us

"Yeah, you've been gone a while" Tigress agreed

"Biyu and I have been building a house next to Mr. Pings" I replied

"Well if you aren't busy, think you could with us later?" Monkey asked

"If all is good here in the village then yeah" I replied

I then saw Monkey's eyes dart behind me for a quarter second, and I instantly knew there was something behind me. I leaped into the air, doing a backflip and when I landed, I saw that Crane had crashed into all three of them, causing the four to crash on the ground.

"Is it me, or are the guys just way easier to see coming?" I asked

I was then swept off my feet by a green tail, landing on my back.

"Probably just you" Viper said sarcastically as she slithered by

"What next? Mantis?" I asked while laughing and getting up

I heard a battle cry behind me, so I quickly turned around. I felt a small thump on my staff that remained on my back as I twisted around to block my attacker, but when I saw nobody, I turned back around, only to find Mantis on the ground

"What happened to him?" I asked

I then took notice of Po laughing his butt off.

"The he was about to hit you was the second you turned around, so the end of your staff hit him in midair" Viper replied

"I can honestly say that was an accident" I said

"I'd of had you if you didn't have that!" Mantis said, clearly annoyed

"Doubt it" I replied, trying to anger him

"Oh yeah?" Mantis said before jumping at me again, but I knocked him aside with the back of my hand

"Yeah" I replied laughing

"I gotta finish up my patrol of the village. I'll meet you guys at the palace for sparing later" I said, waving to them as I walked away

As I continued my walk through town, I saw Zeng flying to the palace, but paid him no mind since he wasn't in any bad condition like when he was coming back from Chor Gom Prison. That was quite the day. I passed by the market where I saw silk venders and places to buy food, table wear, and house décor. Nobody was stealing anything, so I just walked on. While I was walking, I bumped into Fung and his three companions. They were walking home after being defeated…again. We glanced at each other for a little while before walking on, until I saw Song, the new leader of the Ladies of the Shade.

I was about to attack, but remembered that under Song's leadership, they were now good. She saw me, and we waved before I kept walking, but she suddenly landed beside me.

"How's it going?" she asked

"Good…you?" I replied

"Normal. Not a particularly fun day" She answered

"Why not?" I asked

"The Ladies of the Shade have been a little short of things to keep them entertained, so I came down here to the market in hopes of a game or something for us to play, or at least a puzzle. No such luck" She replied

"If you'd like, you can hang out with me until I'm done looking around the village. After that I can't help you since I'm going up to the Jade Palace to spar with Po and the Five" I suggested

"Nah, Tigress still doesn't trust me, and I'd rather not have her come down here to find me hanging out with her metaphorical brother" Song replied

"Well, I better get going. Gotta check out the rest of the village, so I'll see you later" I said as I began walking off

"Bye" She replied

After I went through town, I began walking up the stairs to the Jade Palace for sparing. But halfway up, Po and the Five came running down.

"Sorry, no time to spar" Po said passing by

"Village on the outskirts" Said Mantis, also passing by

"Under attack" Monkey said as he like the rest passed by, followed by Viper and Tigress

"Gotta" Viper started

"Go" Tigress finished

I turned and watched them go, with Crane flying above, and the disappeared into the village. I sighed as I began walking back down to the village, and then to my house. Biyu was already there making dumplings for dinner, fresh made. I could tell by the smell that they were Seafood Dumplings. Every cat's favorite, but it was my favorite anyway.

"Smells good" I said walking in

"I saw the ingredients in the market and thought it'd be nice" Biyu replied

"You thought correctly. Want me to set the table?" I asked

"That'd be good. Anything unusual in the Village?" she asked in reply

"Not much…I saw Peng buying more pottery supplies, and I also ran into Song in the market. She and the Ladies of the Shade were getting bored without anything to do, so she was looking for any games or puzzles" I answered, placing mats, plates, and cups on the table

"I managed to make something extra good for us to drink. Took a bit of energy, but a think you'll enjoy a nice cup of…" she said, placing cups of brown, fizzing liquid on the table

"Root Beer" I finished for her, instantly recognizing the smell

"You guessed it" she replied

"But how did you get this? They didn't start making this brand until 1898, and we are a bit far off" I asked

"Little bit of Xing energy mixed with the memorized ingredients, and boom! A couple nice cold glasses of Barq's Root Beer" she replied, then placed five dumplings on each of our plates

We sat down and began eating our food, savoring the flavor of the soda we haven't had in almost two months. When we finished everything, I cleaned the dishes to allow Biyu some time to bath. Our bathing area was in the back of our house, secluded from any unwanted eyes. When the dishes were clean, I dried them and put them away. I then went and lay in bed, thinking back to when we were at piece in Beijing, nothing keeping us apart. We used to hang out in all our free time, and I actually played guitar. Acoustic, nothing fancy…and I was planning to play a song for Biyu right before the Phantom Beasts attacked.

"In bed already?" Biyu asked as she entered the room

"Yeah, just thinking about how things used to be. Remember when I used to play the acoustic guitar?" I asked

"Yeah, and you were pretty good too" she replied

"Right before the beats attacked, I was gonna play you an American song. One that you didn't know, so you'd get the meaning all the better" I said, putting my arm around her as she lay down next to me

"What song?" she asked

I thought about my response for a while, then decided not to tell her the name, just to sing it.

"There's only one thing, two do, three words, four you. I love you. There's only one way, two say, these three words, and that's what I'll do. I love you" I sang

"I love you too" Biyu said, closing her eyes and cuddling close to my side

We both closed our eyes, and after a few minutes, quietly drifted off to sleep, not knowing what awaits us in the days to come…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I woke the next morning to the sound of a Knocking on my door. Biyu was still asleep, so I quietly got up and walked out to the front door. When I opened it, I saw Zeng.

"Hey Zeng, what's up?" I asked

"Master Shifu requested the presence of you and Biyu immediately" He replied

"Tell Master Shifu we'll be there right away" I replied

He nodded and flew off, so I closed the door and went back to the bedroom. I put my vest on and grabbed my staff, slinging it around my back.

"Biyu, get up. Shifu has requested our immediate presence at the Jade Palace" I said

I was surprised at how fast she was up and ready. Once we had all our needed items, we started our flight to the palace. When we got there, Po and the five were already gathered at the front gate with Master Shifu.

"He's dead" I heard Shifu say as Po looked at a scroll

"Whoa" Po said

"Who is?" I asked as I landed

"Master Thundering Rhino" Shifu replied

"What? But his iron horn defense is impenetrable by any technique" I said, leaving Tigress' mouth hanging open

"Stole the words from me" She said

"He wasn't killed by any technique. It was some kind of weapon" Shifu stated

"Weapon? What weapon?" Po asked

"I'm not sure. Something that breathes fire and spits metal. Po, you and the five must travel to Gongmen City and stop the wielder of this weapon, Lord Shen. If he is not stopped, this could be the end of Kung Fu" Shifu said

"What…but I just got Kung Fu!" Po replied

"Po, you must stop this. Now go!" Shifu commanded

With that, they took off, but Po soon turned around and came back.

"Wait…how does Kung Fu stop something that stops Kung Fu?" Po asked

"Anything can be accomplished with inner peace" Shifu replied

Po nodded, then left, leaving only Biyu, Shifu and I.

"Master, what should we do? If this is anything like Tai Lung, then we could have a Phantom Beast on our hands" I said

"Until such time as you sense ones presence, then we shall stay here and protect the valley. I have been meditating and a vision has come to me. Come to my chambers in three minutes, and we will discuss it" Shifu replied then walked down to the hall of heroes, where his bedroom is located

"Biyu, have you sensed anything recently?" I asked

"Small disturbances, but nothing too strange" she replied

"I'm getting a really bad feeling. Something big is coming up" I said

"I feel it too…but I think my feeling is different. I feel scared for my life…but I don't know why" she replied

"Let's get to master Shifus room. His vision might show us something" I said, then began a steady jog to the hall of heroes

Once we arrived, we entered Shifus room. He was drawing something on a scroll, and hadn't noticed us yet. I cleared my throat, causing him to turn around.

"I don't honestly know what it is I saw in my vision. I saw you two, this weapon engraved with the same symbols as yours, and this collar wrapped around her neck" Shifu said, showing us his drawings

I first inspected the weapon. It was a trident, with the fork on one side and a spear tip on the other, the staff portion of it engraved with the symbols of the Xing. Wait…it couldn't be. The Xing War Trident!

"Biyu…do you know what this is?" I asked

"What Xing wouldn't? The War Trident!" Biyu replied

"So you do recognize it! Is it of any importance?" he asked

"More than you can imagine. As the legend goes, the Xing are the only warriors who can defeat the Phantom beasts, and only with the use of a Xing weapon. But even that isn't enough to beat the Grand Phantom, the leader of them all. Said to be like the devil himself, he rules over the phantoms and takes the form of one as well. The only weapon powerful enough to beat him is this trident, but the only way for it to be claimed is to combine to Xing Warrior spirits, in the dying breath of one, and grief of another. When that happens, the Celestial Light Xing is created from them both, and he claims his Trident. He is said to be like god himself, and his power rivals that of the Grand Phantom" I concluded

"What about this collar?" Shifu asked

I looked at his second drawing, paying close attention to what it looked like. No…it can't be! The collar that took my father in the first Phantom attack…the Hóulóng Pòsuì Yīnyǐng Collar…or better known as the throat crushing shadow collar. Once put on, it's impossible to get off. It slowly gets smaller and smaller until eventually you can't breathe, and you die. But it then continues to shrink until your head is severed from your body.

"Hóulóng Pòsuì Yīnyǐng Collar…very deadly. You say you saw it on Biyu?" I asked, hoping I was wrong

"I'm afraid so. I vision is never wrong, but maybe I saw wrong. I'm going to my meditation cave…watch the village while I'm gone. And try and find out as much as you can. If I saw that trident…then something very bad could be afoot" Shifu said, then walked off.

Over the next few days, nothing happened. Fung and his bandits never showed, and there was nothing happening. Today was no different…everyone quiet, going about their day as if nothing was wrong. Biyu was off checking on the farms all around the Village, and I was patrolling for anything out of the ordinary. Things were very quiet…until I felt a major disturbance.

"Master Shifu…" I said to myself

As I began sprinting up to the cave he meditates in, I saw a bolt of lightning streak across the sky. When I reached master Shifu, he was holding his head and breathing hard.

"Master, what's wrong?" I asked

"Something has happened to the Dragon Warrior" he replied

"Po…do you know what-AAAAHHHHH!" I yelled, clenching my head and falling to my knees

My vision blacked out as I was taken to something like a dream. It was black everywhere, and I was just floating in the nothingness. In front of me materialized a face, black like a Phantom, but much more menacing. Not the grand Phantom, but a General.

"Your time is soon to come Xing" he said

"Tell me where you are and I'll make your death as painless as possible!" I yelled

"I am nowhere yet, but I will be there soon. I get to watch as your precious china falls to Lord Chen" he said

He then began to evilly laugh, his face fading into the blackness. Then, my vision returned and I found myself back with master Shifu.

"Sky, what happened?" he asked

"We need to get to Gongmen city, now" I replied

I then focused my Xing energy and created a beam to the sky, making a trail to where I needed Biyu to meet us.

"Let's go" I said, and then took off running

Shifu wasn't far behind me, and we reached the location in no time. Biyu was already there, and by the looks of it she knew what was wrong. We didn't stop; we just switched to running on all fours and kept going. We ran through the bamboo forest, then the mountains fallowed by a desert, until we reached a river. From there we flew, me carrying Shifu until we made it to a large body of water, where at the other side was a very large city. Where a water channel exited the city, tens of war ships were preparing to exit into the lake. I also noticed the boat to the far back was the biggest, and it held all of the Furious Five in chains. Tigress looked very sad and defeated.

"Shifu, I'm gonna fly down and drop you on that building. I don't' know how I know, but Masters Ox and Croc are being held in the town prison. I can sense them there. Biyu and I will search for the Phantom Beast. We can handle him, you just focus on getting to the five and stopping Lord Shen" I said as I flew down into the city

"Just be sure you defeat him" Shifu said just before I dropped him

"Sky!" Biyu yelled

"What" I asked

"What if this is where I'm killed? We're facing a Phantom General, here" she replied

"You know I'll never let that happen. We don't know if Shifu saw it right, so let's not assume the worst" I said

"Ok, I'm just really scared" she replied

"I know, but we've got to focus" I said

"Keep a look out for anything that could-never mind" I added, pointing in the direction behind Biyu

She turned around and saw what I was seeing. A darkness among the night filled with energy. A gap between our worlds, open for travel. We watched as the Phantom General phased through, the gap quickly closing behind him. He was bigger than the Phantom Warriors, carrying not a sword but a Phantom Bow, a bow with no need for arrows. He was here, and the fight was on!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

As Biyu and I watched the General, he didn't notice us. We were standing on top of a building, a few blocks away from him, but he took no note as he was eagerly watching the battle taking place in Gongmen Harbor. I watched closely, and then heard the sound of Biyu unsheathing her daggers. I took that as she was getting ready to charge, so I took my staff off my back and got ready. I looked over at Biyu, but noticed that she seemed only scared, not ready for battle.

"Biyu, I know you're scared, but right now that will only seal the fate you see in this battle. I won't let anything happen to you, but you need to focus and keep your defenses up" I said

As she tore her gaze away from the Phantom and looked at me, her face turned from scared to serious, and she nodded.

"He is using a bow, so he can't defend both sides. Fly around to his other side and we'll take him from both sides. Go now" I commanded

"Be safe" She replied then flew off

I waited until I saw her waiting to attack before I gave her the signal to move forward. We evaded his sight until we were one block away, then we attacked. In a burst of speed, we charged, my staff held in one hand behind my back while my other hand was ready to defend out in front. Biyu charged with both her daggers in front of her making the shape of an X. The beast saw us half a second before we hit, nowhere near enough time for him to react. I hit him into the air with the end of my staff, and then used my free arm to boost Biyu into the air in pursuit. She passed him up and used the back of her heal to knock the Beast back down.

"Batter up!" I yelled before using my staff as a bat to hit him way far away, until he crashed into a building

The area was covered with dust, so we couldn't see anything. Biyu landed beside me, a smile on her face, but I remained alert.

"This isn't ever yet" I said, causing Biyu to become alert as well

"Oh how right you are, young Xing" we heard from the dust

Suddenly, what seemed like a bolt of darkness was shot at us. I pushed Biyu to the side while jumping to the side myself, and the bolt barely missed us. Then the Phantom emerged from the dust, his bow in hand, and an evil grin on his face.

"I do hope that was just a warm up. Otherwise I would've come here for nothing" he said

"You haven't begun to feel our strength" I replied

"Oh good, I was getting worried. Shall we continue?" he asked, and then shot another bolt at us

We jumped into the air, dodging again, but we were quickly intercepted by him. He had leapt in our direction and did a flying kick that nocked Biyu on her back. I used my leg to block the kick, then through a jab at his chest. He quickly caught it and through me at Biyu, who managed to catch me. The Phantom then began shooting a barrage of dark bolts at us, which we knocked away with our weapons.

"Biyu, throw me!" I yelled, giving her my hand

She quickly grabbed it, spun me around once, and then released me. I had my foot extended in a kick, but he slapped it down the used a butterfly strike to knock me back. I slammed into a wall a few feet behind me, the air being knocked out of my lungs. I could see that out of anger, Biyu charged at him. I tried to yell out for her to stop, but the lack of air stopped me. She tried jabbing at his face, but he grabbed her fist with one hand and her elbow with the other, lifting her into the air and bringing her wrist to his knee. With a painful snap, both her wrist bones broke and I could tell were sticking out of her arm. She screamed out in pain, and was thrown off to the side.

I began to get up and grabbed my staff, then began to charge. He had already taken aim at her, and I could see the energy building in his bow. Just as I reached him, he shot, and I kicked him a few yards away. Helpless, I watched as the dark bolt raced towards her. Just before it struck, I noticed a black blur, then the bolt hit and the area was covered in dust from the explosion. I fell to my knees, devastated. My staff dropped to the ground at my side, and my head hung. _No…I promised her I wouldn't let this happen. Biyu, I'm sorry_ I thought. I then heard an evil laugh next to me.

"One down, one to go. Any last words?" he asked, and I heard his bow charging

"Flames of the white tiger" I said, too quietly to hear

"What?" he asked

"FLAMES OF THE WHITE TIGER!" I repeated with rage

I then grabbed my staff and charged it with that attack, then hit him in the chin. The energy from it knocked him backwards, and I then charged. I swung my staff it his face, making contact and causing him to lose a tooth. When he looked back at me, I kicked him in the gut, causing him to spit up blood and fall to the ground.

"WHITE FIRE FINAL STRIKE!" I yelled, then brought my staff down on the top of his head

In a burst of blue Xing Flame, and a little black dust, the Phantom General disappeared, defeated forever. I then turned around and ran to where Biyu was laying. The first thing I noticed was all the stone rubble everywhere. I then saw Biyu, still in one piece, with another person wrapping something around her wrist. I was at first happy, but then saw that he was one of Shens wolves.

"Stay away from her!" I yelled as I kicked him away

He was lying on his back, so to keep him from getting up I put the end of my staff on his chest.

"Wait wait, I'm only trying to help!" he pleaded

"Yeah right! You're one of Shens wolves!" I angrily replied

"Not anymore! I used to be, but he's coocoo crazy!" he replied

"And you just happened to be in the city now?" I asked

"I've been hiding from him here. He would've had me killed if he caught me. How was I supposed to know he was coming here?" he asked in reply

Not seeing any way his story didn't work, I let him up and went back over to Biyu. She was unconscious, but breathing. The bones in her wrist were both put back into place, and her wounds were bandaged.

"Sorry for kicking you, and thanks for saving her" I said

"Don't worry about it. It only took a slab of concrete to block that blast" he said

"My names Sky, and this is Biyu. Why did you save her? You could've been killed yourself" I asked

"I saw the way you fight to protect each other. You two have something special, and I wouldn't want anyone to lose their special someone, the same way I wouldn't wish it upon myself" he replied

"What's your name?" I asked

"Collin…so if you don't need me anymore, I'll be on my way. I've gotta find a new place to live for my wife and I, seeing as this one's been compromised" Collin replied and stood up

"Where you planning on going?" I asked

"I forget the name. It's a valley out past the mountains" he replied

"The valley of peace…that's where I live! If you hang around a little longer I can group up with the rest of the people I'm here with and we can go there together" I said standing up, taking note of how tall he was, almost as tall as me

"Sounds great! I've just gotta find Serena, my wife. She's hiding out near the river, in an old puppeteer's home" he replied

"We'll meet you there. I'm gonna find all my friends along with a sling to put her arm in" I said

Without another word, he nodded and ran off. He definitely wasn't like the other wolves. He was taller, leaner, and his tail was more…fluffy I guess. I looked around for any fabric I could use as a sling, and spotted a large rag in all the rubble. I picked it up and dusted it off, then tied it around my own shoulder. When it was tied, I took it off and pulled Biyu into a sitting position. I then put the sling around her shoulder and put her arm in it. Then she started to wake up and moved her good arm to her head and groaned.

"Welcome back to the land of the living!" I said

"What happen-oh shit!" she yelled as she tried to move her broken arm

"I wouldn't move that if I were you. The Phantom broke it" I said

"No kidding! Did you beat him?" she asked, causing a blank look to fall across my face

"No, we're both dead and the Phantom Beasts are taking over the world" I sarcastically replied

"Shut up, I was unconscious!" she yelled

"Can you walk?" I asked

"Yeah…but I'm gonna need you to go grab my daggers" she replied

I nodded and turned around scanning the ground for them. When I saw then, I walked over and picked them up. The energy in them felt different than the energy in my staff. I walked back over to the now standing Biyu, who took her daggers and sheathed them. We then began our walk to the river silently, just enjoying the view of the sunrise. When we got to the river, I took note that the bridge was completely destroyed, and when I looked out to the harbor, Po was hugging Tigress. The expression on her face was one of complete shock. When Po let go, he was completely tackled by the rest of the Five, all of them congratulating him. He must've been the one who defeated Shen.

"Guess Shen is dead" Biyu said

"Crushed by his own cannon" I heard Collin behind us

When we turned around, Biyu instantly charged. She jumped at him, landing a foot on his chest and pushing him to the ground and landing on top of him.

"Biyu stop!" I yelled

"He's one of Shens!" she replied

"He's the one who saved your life!" I reasoned

A look of surprise swept over her face as she looked down at Collin. She opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced as another wolf kicked her off. Must be Serena.

"You must be Serena" I said, taking note that Biyu managed to land on her feet

"And you are?" she asked

"Sky. Your husband saved my girlfriends life" I replied

"Which I appreciate. Sorry for uh…kicking you" Biyu said

"Maybe we should shave our tails and try and pass ourselves as rats" Collin said

"We'd certainly get kicked less" Serena agreed

"Let's get moving. We still need to group up with my friends before we leave" I said

"Right, let's get moving" Collin replied

We then began walking out to the harbor, and I was soon embraced in a hug by Tigress. I hugged her back almost immediately and squeezed hard, cracking her back a little.

"What are you doing here?" she asked smiling

"There was a Phantom General here, so we had to come take him out" I replied also smiling

"We've got a couple people here who are coming to live in the valley of peace" Biyu said

When Collin and Serena stepped forward, grabbed Tigress by the wrist before she could attack. She looked at me like I was crazy.

"Collin here saved Biyus life" I said

"And they aren't Lord Shens?" Tigress asked

"I used to be, but not all wolves are into killing people, ruling china, and working for a crazy peacock" Collin said

"Plus Shen threatened my life, so we left him and hid out here" Serena added

"You guys get a chance. You'll be staying in the Jade Palace where we can watch you. Sky, what's that black stuff on your arm?" Tigress asked

I looked down on my arm and saw black dust, and gagged. Its remains of the Phantom beast I destroyed.

"Gross! Its remains of that Phantom! Let's go home so I can get a bath!" I yelled

The journey back was slow, and boring. We used up almost all our Xing Energy in the fight, so we couldn't fly. So during the walk, people started thinking up games to play.

"I spy something green!" said viper as we walked through the bamboo forest

"Leaf, Tree, Your Scales, Grass, Something else that's green" Serena said, partially annoyed

"No, no, no, no, and sort of" Viper replied

"Me?" Mantis asked, followed by his weird laugh

"Yep!" Viper exclaimed

"Anybody else see that there is no point to this?" Tigress asked

Everybody who had hands raised them, and Mantis raised his "Thingies" into the air. Viper hung her head in defeat and we all got to thinking of something new to do.

"Well, I've had thirty ideas in the past minute, all of which won't do us any good" Collin said

"No kidding" I replied

We then continued our walk, just looking at the scenery and I was personally enjoying the silence.

"I should've brought my magic kit" Po said, breaking the silence, and my enjoyment

"NO!" The Five said in unison

Po looked hurt at first, but then dropped it and went back to walking. After hours and hours more, we finally emerged from the Bamboo Forest and could see the Village at the bottom of the hill we were on. We all sighed in relieve, and some of us broke into running, including monkey and…everyone except Biyu, Collin, Serena and I. We all kept walking, tired from the long walk. When we got into town, lots of people seemed to be scared of Collin and Serena. They themselves looked a little scared.

"Don't worry, they'll warm up to you. They thought I was Tai Lung my first day here" I said

"I just feel my face has been abused enough today" Collin replied

"See those stairs at the end of the street over there?" I asked

"Yeah" They replied together

"Just climb those and you'll be at the Jade Palace. If you see a small red panda, try and block all the punches he throws. He's a very understanding person, but you need to explain why you are there" I said

"Thanks for the warning. Hope you get better Biyu!" Serena said as they walked off

We turned and walked into our house, where I quickly ran into the bathing area and shut the door, which was basically a sliding door made of paper. I turned on the water and let the bath fill with warm water. The bath was meant to look like the sacred dragon pool in the Jade Palace, so it was basically an octagon in the ground that we bathe in. when it was full, I stripped out of my clothes and grabbed my home made wash cloth, then jumped in and began scrubbing all the dirt and Phantom Dust out of my fur. The warm water was soothing to the touch and the cleanness that fallowed was refreshing.

"Sky, I might scream in a minute, but don't worry. I'm redoing my splint and sling and cleaning the wound on my arm" I heard Biyu say from the kitchen

"OK, but don't cause yourself too much pain" I replied

I went back to scrubbing my fur, and was about to start on my legs when a blood curdling scream caused my fur to stand stiff on end, even weighed down by the water I stood. She was definitely using the cleaning alcohol. Once I got used to her screaming, I went back to washing my legs, scrubbing roughly on my shins to get all he crusty stuff out. When I was fully cleaned, I turned off the water and opened the drain, letting all the water go back down to our homemade filtration system. I used a wind technique to force all the water out of my fur, the put my cloths back on. I then grabbed my staff and walked into the kitchen, where Biyu was wrapping her wrist in a clean white cotton bandage. I also took note of the new sling she made that was sitting on the table.

"All done?" I asked

"Yeah. Can you run down to the market and pick up some of that new water proof wrapping? I'd like a bath too" She requested

"Sure, where did you leave the-" I was interrupted

"On the bed" Biyu said

I walked into the bedroom and grabbed the small sack of coins we always have, then walked back out to the kitchen.

"I'll be back in a few minutes" I said, then grabbed my staff and walked out the door

The streets were alive with celebration! The bandits that would normally be robbing people were dancing with the venders, and even the Ladies of the Shade were here putting on a show with their…what do you call it? Some kind of dancing that uses umbrellas I guess. As I walked into the market, I saw that they were putting discounts on some items. I walked over to the medical vender and asked him if he had any of the wrapping Biyu requested.

"Yeah, we have plenty of that. 70 Yuan a case" He said

If I didn't know the customs, I would've given him the 70, but I know that we can barter for a lower price.

"Way too much, I'll give you 30" I replied

"You know what, since you are my friend, I'll price it at 50 Yuan" He said

"45 Yuan or I walk" I replied

He sat there for a moment, thinking about it, and then I could see by the look on his face he made a decision.

"Ok, 45 Yuan" he said

I gave him the money and grabbed my case of wrapping, and was about to go home when I looked over at the armor shop and saw an amazing pair of gauntlets. I walked over to inspect them, and saw just how great they were. They had two sections, hand and wrist. The hand portion was like a glove, except it only covered the top of my hand. The wrist part was made like a normal gauntlet. They were made of black leather and iron, the iron being in the middle and surrounded by leather, giving the illusion that they were made for style, not defense.

"How much for these?" I asked

"100 Yuan" he said

"Fair price, for this quality! I'll take them" I said

I handed him the money, which was 4 gold coins from the pouch, and began my walk back home. On the way back I decided to stop and watch the Ladies of the Shade to their Parasol Dance! That's what it's called! At east I hope I'm right. As they were dancing, I noticed Dou Dai, a pig obsessed with using machines to beat the Furious Five, was running through the crowd and happened to run into one of the dancer's right as they were going to create some kind of weird structure like cheerleaders do. As the structure began to fall, so did the dancers. I saw one dancer after another fall, but I only stood there and watched.

I only moved when I saw Song was about to be crushed by three other dancers, and that wouldn't end well. I dashed out and grabbed her off the ground, picking her up and getting out of the way so fast that I didn't have time to take a breath. When the chaos was over, all the dancers stood up, unharmed and slightly shocked. I put Song down and asked if she was ok.

"Yeah, thanks" she said

"No problem, I just helped save China, what's one more life?" I asked

"Wait, what?" She asked

"I'll explain later. I've gotta get this to Biyu" I replied

"Ok, just hurry! I want details!" Song said, then walked back over to her dancers

I then walked back to the house and walked in, hearing the bath filling up. I walked over to the bathing area and knocked on the door frame, not wanting to hit the paper.

"Come in" I heard

I pushed the door open and walked in, shutting the door behind me.

"I got the wrapping" I said

"Good, the sweat in my fur is starting to crust up!" Biyu replied

I took note that her shirt was off, but her chest wrapping was still there.

"You know, this stuff is hard to get used to. It's really rough" Biyu said

"I honestly have no interest in knowing" I replied

"Can you help me wrap my arm?" She asked

"Yeah, hold still" I said, opening the package of the wrap

I started covering the original wrapping with new wrapping. When I was done, I put the leftover wrapping in our first aid kit. I then left the bathing area and went into the kitchen, enjoying the peace. Finally home…


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I was sitting at the kitchen table, fooling with my new gauntlets. I was trying to find some way to re-create them with Xing energy, so I could use them as defense from phantom energy. Biyu was still in the bathing area, soaking in the warm water. I had used many symbols in attempt to remake the gauntlets, but with no luck. I sat back, partially frustrated. I decided to give up and just put the gauntlets on, then got up and walked outside. The sun was beginning to go down, but I could still hear people celebrating the victory. I could hear Po and Mr. Ping arguing about who was going to cook, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'll cook. It's the least I could do, you saved China" Mr. Ping said

"No, it's the least I could do, you raised me" Po retorted

"Po-"

"Alright, we'll both cook, together" Po said, interrupting his dad

"Together…no I'll cook" Mr. Ping said, ending the argument and causing them both to laugh

I smiled and walked back inside, but turned around when I heard a familiar crocodile bandit's voice heading towards the noodle shop. I saw Fung and his gang walking past my door, and smiled. Instantly back to the same old routine. I decided to give Po a break and walked out in front of them.

"What? Get out of the way, guy. Our business is with Po!" Fung said

"He's having some quality time with his dad now, so I'd wait till later" I warned

"Well, this little thing Dou Dai gave us we were gonna use on Po, but it will work just as well on you!" He replied, taking out a weird grappling hook thing

They then charged, throwing their hooks at me. I tried blocking them, but they grabbed onto my wrists. Fung's bandits Gary and the stupid one who seemed nameless both tried pulling my wrists apart but I just used my arms to pull them and smash them together.

"Push the buttons you idiots!" Fung yelled

They then pushed some weird buttons on the handles, and I was suddenly being shocked with electricity. But I was surprised when the shocking made my gauntlets begin to glow blue, and then they burst with energy, breaking the hooks. Both the crocs and I stared in awe at the gauntlets.

"Thanks for the help with these!" I yelled, then aimed my fist at them

I then focused my Xing energy into my fist, and a bolt of energy identical to the phantoms dark bolt shot from my fist. It hit Gary in the chest and sent him flying. When he got up, he ran for his life, quickly followed by the rest of them.

"Awesome!" I heard Po behind me

"Very" I said to myself

"Where did you get those?" Po asked, circling my body to get a full view of the gauntlets

"The armor shop in town; they were plain old gauntlets before I charged them up with some Xing energy and now they're, in your words, awesome" I replied, examining them myself

"How much were they?" he asked

"100 Yuan, but I gave the guy four gold coins. He seemed to be fine with that" I replied, laughing

"Wow, that's a LOT of money. I could never afford that with my job" he said

"Hey, you guys still owe me that spar, so what do you say we head up to the Jade Palace and see how well I beat you guys" I said

"I'll race you!" Po yelled, starting to do some weird tap dance of his excitement

"Let me tell Biyu, but in the mean time you get a head start" I replied

He nodded and turned to start running. He managed to get to the stairs before he keeled over, out of breath. I laughed, and then walked inside.

"Biyu, I'm going up to the Jade Palace to do some sparing. Be back soon!" I said, then walked back outside

Po was only a few hundred stairs up, not even a quarter of the way, so a started a slow jog. I passed him up within five minutes, and slowed to a walk up the stairs. A steady walk was about the same speed as Po's running, given that he always stops to take breaks. It took about fifteen minutes, but we eventually made it to the top. I walked through the front gates while Po collapsed in the same place he did the day of the tournament, when he became the Dragon Warrior. Tigress was in the main courtyard meditating with Crane, and I could hear Viper and Monkey in the training hall. I had no clue where Mantis was, until I heard his war cry from behind me. I bowed forward and he went flying over me onto the ground.

"You are impossible to sneak up on!" Mantis yelled in frustration

"It'd be easier if you'd stay silent" I replied, smirking

"Well, I see you and Po raced here" I heard Tigress say as she stood up

"What gave it away? The fact that he's about to have a heart attack?" I asked

"No, the fact that you were walking and he was dying" She replied, making everyone laugh

"You all still owe me that spar, so-HEY!" I yelled as Viper grabbed onto my wrists

"WHAT ARE THESE?!" she asked

"My new Xing Gauntlets. Check this out!" I said, aiming a fist at the sky and shooting a blue fireball

"Even more awesome the second time!" Po said, finally getting up

"Come on, let's spar" I said, walking over to the sparing area in the courtyard where Po first sparred

"Mind if we join?" I heard a familiar wolf say behind me

"No problem, Collin. You and Serena adapting ok?" I asked

"Just fine, but we'd like to have some action. Haven't done any Kung Fu since Shen took over" Serena said, walking past me

I continued my walk to the sparing area, stopping in one of the two squares. It reminded me of when I first fought tigress and broke her rib. Good times…

"So who do I go against first?" I asked, stretching out my arms and shoulders

"You owe me a rematch, so I'll go first. And no spirit tiger, because I'd like my ribs to stay intact. And no weapons, so put those gauntlets and that staff down" Tigress commanded, getting into the other sparing square

"Alright" I said, laughing and doing as she said

When we both were ready we got into our stances and the others fell silent.

"Just saved the world and your training already? I admire you're determination, students" I heard Shifu say from behind tigress

We all turned to face him and bowed respectfully.

"Master, Tigress and the other five owed me a sparring match from a while ago. They promised it but the musicians village on the outskirts beg attacked kinda threw that off" I said, a smile on my face

"I see…well, if Tigress doesn't mind I'd like to spar you to see your improvement" Shifu said

Tigress nodded and stepped out of the sparring square, and was soon replaced by Shifu. We both got into our stances and prepared to fight. Viper hit her tail against the gong and Shifu lunged, jabbing at a pressure point in my arm. To avoid the attack I clenched my bicep, preventing the force from hitting the nerve. I then did a spin kick to his side, sending him flying away, but he quickly retaliated. We were meeting each-others attacks punch for punch and kick for kick. Until I made a mistake. I forgot about his favored move, the Wuxi Finger Hold, and went for a tiger strike. He grabbed on to my finger and lifted his pinkie.

"Submit" he said

I slowly kneeled to the ground, not wanting to go out like Tai Lung, but remembered something. He always lets his guard down when his opponent submits. I felt his grip loosen, so I struck. I did a powerful strike to his torso, sending him flying backwards into a tumble role. When he finally realized what had happened, I was at his side in a defensive position, looking down fiercely.

"Submit" I said, mimicking his tone

He smiled and stood, bowing to me then turning his attention to Tigress.

"Fine work training Sky. His technique is flawless, and his defense unbreachable. But there is a flaw in his focus…" Shifu said, before throwing a sucker punch at my side, but I caught his fist

"H-He doesn't let his g-guard down, umm, never mind" Shifu said, clearly surprised

When he walked toward his room, the others burst into laughter, except Tigress, who got back into position in her sparring square. I got back into mine and into my sparring stance. But just as we were about to begin, a horrible throbbing pain hit my head, and I fell upon my knees. My vision turned into something of a dream. I saw ruins…the ruins of the villages in the valley of peace, and standing in front of me was something…or I should say someone…who sent shivers up and down my spine. His skin was black as night, and his figure was strong and muscular. His eyes were glowing an evil shade of purple. His hands were clawed, and he showed no signs of anything but anger.

"In one final conflict…two breaths turned one…and the light be brung. Tis a prophecy written by the firs of your kind, the first of the Xing, but I'm here to give you a new one. In the final battle, all breaths turned none, and the light be done. You've killed many of my warriors, and now, this is the fate that awaits you and your beloved" he said, waving his three clawed hand to the side, revealing Biyu, in bonds and thrashing about. Around her neck was a dark collar, one Shifu showed me in a vision

"If you touch her I'll kill you in the most painful way's I know. Tell me who you are and I swear you'll never see the light of day!" I said, angry but very scared

"Your right about one thing. I will never see the light of day. I am Hēi'àn, Darkness, and I am coming for you" he said

In a flash my vision returned to normal. I could hear the five calling out my name and I could see Collin comforting Serena.

"He's awake, go get master-"

"Sky, did you have the same vision I just did?" Shifu asked while running toward us

"Hēi'àn is coming. He is the leader of all Phantom Beasts" I replied, standing up

"Tigress, take the five and clear out every village you can. Take them all to the borders of China and-" Shifu was interrupted by cracking lightning, followed by the sound of thunder

We all looked up and saw dark clouds swirling in the sky. He's not coming, he's here!

"Tigress, you and the five get around me now. I'm going to grant you small Xing abilities. You'll be able to kill them, but you'll not have the powers I do. Po, you too, get around me" I commanded, and they all complied

Once I was surrounded, I focused a ball of pure Xing energy into my hands. I then dispersed it into all of their hearts, causing them to all gasp. All their eyes flashed different colors. Viper was green, Monkey was yellow, Crain was grey, Mantis was also green, Po was white, and Tigress was red.

"Go to the village and kill any Phantom you see. Shifu, you can already kill them. You have the Xing energy, you just haven't been trained to use it. You stay here and watch over everyone. I'll go heal Biyu and we'll defend this world to our last breath" I said, and before anyone could reply I took to flight and went to my house after grabbing my gauntlets and staff

I reached home in under a minute and ran inside. Biyu had her daggers in hand and seemed very frightened. Before she even knew I was there I shot a healing bolt into her arm, which instantly healed.

"Sky! What's going on? Is he here?" She asked

"Yes. We are all going to fight whatever army he brings, and NOTHING is going to happen to you!" I said, wrapping her in a hug

We then heard a very ear piercing scream that only meant one thing…the battle was about to begin.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Without warning, I broke off Biyu's cast. She pulled off the remains and readied her daggers once again.

"Sky, are you sure we're gonna be able to do this?" Biyu asked

"We are two Xing Masters now…no phantom is gonna beat us" I replied

"Now let's go. We've got to protect the villagers" I added, then ran out the door, Biyu in close pursuit

We ran outside and saw that the dark clouds had completely blocked out the sun, leaving only a dim grey light and the occasional flash of lightning. Where the sun used to be the clouds were swirling and a steady flow of phantoms were pouring out. An entire army of phantom warriors, a few generals like the one we fought in Gongmen City, and overseeing the transport was the same dark figure I saw in my vision. He had sprouted wings like a bat, and was flying near the portal.

"My guess is if we take down Hēi'àn, the portal will go down. We need to get to him, fast!" I said, then started sprinting through the streets

Biyu jumped up onto the roof of one building and began jumping from building to building in the direction of Hēi'àn. As we advanced, we were beginning to see the phantom beasts heading toward us. I pulled my staff off my back and charged it with Xing Energy, ready for the fight. I set my sights on the one nearest to me, and shot a bolt at it with my gauntlets. It vaporized instantly, so I set my sights on another. But before I could kill it, a flash of red went by and it was dead. I looked around and saw all the furious five fighting them off, including Po. I looked up to check on Biyu and saw her killing one after another, but something wasn't right. Suddenly, I saw a flash of darkness out of the corner of my eye, and when I looked I saw a dark bolt coming towards me. I used my staff to knock it aside, and saw two generals running at me.

"Tiger Spirit, fight beside me!" I yelled, summoning the white tiger spirit to my side

We both charged, and using my staff I slammed one to the ground. I then shot a Xing bolt into his skull, killing him. I turned to look at the other one, but my spirit had already killed it. I continued the run toward Hēi'àn, seeing how close I was. My confidence growing, I felt victory was within our grasp. I had my eyes locked on him, and he looked worried. But my perception was soar. A glint in his eyes sent my mind spiraling, and he raised a hand and sent what seemed like a wave of dark energy over the entire village. I was sent to the ground and tumbling backwards. I only caught glimpses of the buildings collapsing, my allies being thrown back same as me, and the Phantoms standing over us. When I regained my bearings, I saw Tigress barely standing, clenching her upper arm as it hung dead at her side. Biyu was on the ground next to me, barely awake, while the others lay unconscious. I saw Collin and Serena tied up by a general, gagged and bound at the hands and feet. The general held two swords, each tip pointed at the two captives. I watched as a phantom warrior kicked Tigress to the ground, and felt Hēi'àn's eyes on Biyu and I.

"Now you see, Xing. Your kind has no place in MY new world. But I'm not without mercy, you lover won't suffer" He said

I let my gaze fall on Biyu, total fear in her eyes. She won't suffer? What kind of consolation was that?! Maybe that means he won't kill her. As if on cue to those thoughts, I saw a dark bolt strike Biyu and wrap around her neck.

"Liar! You treacherous little slime!" I yelled

"I said she wouldn't suffer, I didn't say how. She'll die first, so she doesn't have to bear seeing all her friends killed" He replied, and evil grin on his demonic face

My gaze fell back on Biyu, and what I saw stopped my heart. The collar from Shifus vision was around her neck, and I could see it slowly getting tighter and tighter. Soon she won't be able to breath, and after that her throat will be crushed, then eventually severed from her body…an ugly way to die.

"Biyu, I'm so sorry…I promised you I wouldn't let this happen, but that collar is around your neck-"

"Sky, it isn't your fault. It's the prophecy…two breaths turned one…you're the grand Xing. In the final breath of one, and the grief of another, their souls combine and they become one grand Xing warrior" Biyu interrupted

"NO! I can't live without you, Biyu!" I yelled

"Does this collar go any faster? Speed it up a little!" Hēi'àn yelled, snapping his fingers

The rate of the closing collar increased, and Biyu began choking. She grasped at her throat, trying to open her airway.

"No! BIYU NO!" I yelled, tears falling from my eyes

"Kill them, General" I heard

I turned around just in time to see Collin and Serena run through by the swords that were at their backs, and then the general walked over to Tigress and grappled her throat, picking her up off the ground and watching her struggle for air. I felt Biyus hand on my cheek, as she turned my head around and pulled me into a kiss. It lasted three seconds until he body went limp.

"No, Biyu, you can't die. Not now!" I screamed, shaking her body and crying hard

"Biyu, NOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed until my lungs ran out of air

Then, her body began to glow orange…and mine began to glow blue. Biyu began to deteriorate into a glowing orange dust, and it floated toward me. Beyond my own willpower, I gasped, and the dust that came from Biyu went into my lungs. I felt her presence inside me, and her energy flowing through my body. My fur began turning orange, the stripes staying black. I began to look like a normal tiger. My Kung Fu robes turned into the same ones my mentor used to wear, and my Gauntlets fell off my wrists and onto the ground. They then started to float back into the air, along with Biyus daggers and my staff. They started swirling above me, and changed shape. Each one morphing into the others, creating a different weapon. But, it wasn't the trident. They were becoming a dual ended spear, something I never heard of happening. Unless…of course! The gauntlets changed it! With three weapons instead of two, the weapon changed! I stood up off the ground and took it in my hand, quickly turning my attention to the phantom currently strangling Tigress.

"Let…her…go" I said, my voice a mixture of mine and Biyus

In fear, he dropped Tigress to the ground, who began gasping and coughing.

"What are you doing, you idiots! Kill him! Kill them all!" Hēi'àn yelled

Suddenly, I had many many MANY phantoms charging at me from all ends. But, I wasn't fazed. I didn't know why, but they just didn't scare me. I began twirling my dual spear in the air, and just when they were close I slammed it to the ground, creating an ever expanding dome of Xing energy all around me. It grew bigger and bigger, vaporizing any phantom it touched. I watched as it rebuilt buildings, healed Po and the five and Collin and Serena. All the phantoms except Hēi'àn were killed, leaving him startled. I took to flight slowly heading towards him. In my eyes was only anger. As I got closer to him, I began to speak.

"You bring my world to ruin and kill my family" I said, striking him in the chest, sending him backwards

"You destroy my new home and try to kill my new family" I continued, then kicked him to the ground

"NOW YOU DIE!" I yelled, using every ability I had to launch myself at Hēi'àn

I ran my spear through his back as I landed, and then charged it with the power of the Xing ancestors.

"Power of the ancestors, HAH!" I yelled, twisting the spear and causing the evil phantom to disintegrate and burst into black dust

As the smoke cleared, I was amazed. The blast I'd created had reversed everything the phantoms had done. My friends were healed, the buildings rebuilt, and the sun shining. The only thing missing was seeing Biyu here with us. I could still feel her presence within myself, but it wasn't the same.

"Sky?" I heard Tigress ask, "Are you…still you?"

I pondered the question for a moment, wondering if I was in fact still myself.

"I…I don't know" I said, my voice still a mix between Biyus and mine, "No, I guess"

"So…who are you?" Collin asked

Another question that stumped me. I'm no longer Sky…but I'm not Biyu either. I'm just the grand Xing now, nothing more and nothing less.

"I am Xing"

End of Part 1

 **There is the first leg of the story. I read through it and, good god was I bad! Holy hell, I was bad. Anywho, it's still a really meaningful story to me, the next leg is better and longer. Keep reading, my fans!**


	10. Chapter 10

Journey of the Xing

Part 2

Fisk

 **And here, with the next leg! This one is actually much better written, though still not my best written. It is in the POV of a different character, so just warning you all of that. Please leave a review, if you can, and enjoy!**

Chapter 1

I woke with a start. Another nightmare? Ever since that weird tiger dude came here to the orphanage and killed that black monster, I've been having weird dreams. My name is Fisk, and here at the orphanage, I'm sort of a loner. Most the other kids are goats, bunnies, and things, but I'm a panther. I've got weird white splotches on my black fur due to what I've been told was a cross breeding. I'm only ten years old, and about four foot eleven. I wear only silk pants made for me by the person who runs the orphanage. It's a really weird way to dress, in my opinion, but it does allow more mobility for when I train in Kung Fu. I train on my own because I can't find anyone who knows the Panther Style, so I'm stuck on my own. My nightmares always include that tiger, along with hundreds of those monsters, the furious five, the dragon warrior, a couple wolves and Master Shifu.

"Another nightmare, freak?" I hear from the bed beneath my bunk

Great, it's day time. Everyone's awake and ready to pick on the one who stands out. A pig beneath me named Wang is always on my case about being different. But I do my best to remain positive.

"Good morning to you to Wang," I say as I leap from my bed, stretching out once I'm on the ground

I start to walk away when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I'm about to defend myself when I hear a friendly voice.

"Was it the same dream?" a female voice asks

Lucy is a bunny, white as cotton and a personality to match her cuteness. She tries to seem tall by putting her hand on my shoulder, and she is tall for a bunny her age, but she's only half my height.

"Yeah, but I'm just gonna ignore it. I'm off to train, talk to you later, Lucy," I say, then walk toward the outside yard

When I get there, I do normal stretches before I start the actual training. All I do it practice agility by doing punches kicks and dodges at top speed. I can't train anything else without a partner. After about ten minutes by estimate, I hear a bell.

"Crap, it's adoption day!" I yell at myself then run the center plaza in the orphanage

When I get there, everyone is preparing to run outside and meet the day's candidates for new parents. When we go outside, though, I don't see any panthers. I do see an unusual sight. Three crocs, one wearing a metal hat with a pointed tip, one quite small, and the other just looking around blankly.

"Gary, go set up those things Dou Dai gave us. I'll get the valuables and then once I'm out, you guys blow the place up!" the croc with the hat said

My breath caught in my throat as I began to back into the orphanage. I spotted Lucy, and noticed her crying. I looked around and saw no bunnies either. This would be her hundredth week without adoption. I ran over to her and hugged her.

"Lucy, you've got to go to your room and make sure all your stuff is in order. Something really bad is about to happen," I said

She wiped her eyes and nodded, running inside as fast as her little bunny feet could carry her. I followed close behind, going to my room to get my only belonging, a piece of crystal I found in the forest before I was found and brought here. Once I had it, I ran outside to find Lucy and get somewhere safe. When I got outside, though, she wasn't there. As if on cue of me exiting the building, an explosion shook the ground and sent me flying.

When I managed to get to my feet, I turned around and saw that the entire orphanage was on fire.

"LUCY!" I yelled, about to run back in when another explosion sent me flying backwards again

When I got back up, I saw five large figures running around the building, throwing water all over it to no affect. I then heard an ear piercing scream from inside the building. A monkey was about to run in, but a snake stopped him.

"Monkey, this building is about to come down, you can't go in there!" A tiger said

Nothing they said stopped me. I ran past them into the burning building and toward Lucy's room. When I got there, I saw that Lucy wasn't there.

"Fisk!" I heard behind me

When I turned around I saw that Lucy was being carried away in the arms of the croc that seemed like he wasn't thinking at all. When he saw me, he began to run away. I jumped into overdrive, chasing him down. He was obviously lost, and had no idea how to get out of the building. When I caught up, I jumped over his head, grabbing Lucy from his arms then spin kicked him away.

"Wait, he was helping me get out *cough*. I can't breathe…" was all she said, and then passed out

Knowing I was short on time, I made a break for the exit, but realized I was too late when I saw that the door was covered in burning wood. No exit, no way out, no escape.

"No," I said to myself, realizing how screwed I was. I ran back to the center plaza in the middle of the orphanage. The ground there is stone, but the roof will still collapse on us. When I got there, I knelt to the ground and placed Lucy down.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. I couldn't save you…I'm sorry" I said

Suddenly, a golden aura began to come from my body. I felt a strange energy begin to surge through me, and it felt…good! I then heard the sound of snapping wood, and as I looked up, I saw the roof falling down. In a final attempt to stop the demise of myself and Lucy, I let the energy surge and flow through me. I let out a scream that could've knocked the building down faster than the fire, and as the sound traveled, so did the golden light. It knocked aside all the wood and debris that were falling and put out all flames. When my lungs were empty, I fell limp to the ground. Everything went black.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 2

I woke with a start, my heart racing and my fur matted with sweat. The room I was in was strange. The bed was bigger, and the felt lower in altitude. I nearly screamed when a small figure moved from next to me. I looked under the blanket that covered my lower half and saw a small cotton white bunny, trembling and asleep beside me.

"I figured you'd want your girlfriend with you," I heard behind me. The voice was terrifying, a mixture between male and female, "I know I did"

I turned around and saw that tiger from my dream.

"She is more like my little sister. I'm probably a little young for a girlfriend" I said, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, "Where am I?"

"In my old home, where my girlfriend and I use to live before the phantom beasts attacked two years ago. Now I don't live anywhere, I just keep watch over the valley for any sign of their return. I only left my post by the sacred peach tree when I sensed the energy you were giving off. You are very special" he said

"How so?"

"You carry in yourself Xing energy. But not just any Xing, light. If you learn to control it, you could change color dimensions and maybe even time and space could be in your hands. That's how-"

"Fisk" I heard behind me

I turned around to see Lucy cowering in fear behind me, her eyes dead on the tiger in front of us. She slowly moved to where she was right next to me.

"Don't be afraid, Lucy. This is the one who saved us from those monsters a while ago" I said

"I'm not scared *Cough* I still can't breathe" she replied, laying down in my lap and cuddling up close

"She breathed in too much ash. It burned her lungs, and if left untreated, she'll never breath right again" the tiger said

"Is there a doctor around?" I asked, cradling Lucy comfortingly

"Yes" he replied, then walked toward us and placed a hand across her chest. His hand then began to glow blue and orange

Out of the blue, Lucy gasped and began coughing. At first I thought he hurt her, but then her breathing got steady and she got up out of my lap and hugged the tiger.

"Thank you!" she said, then turned around and hugged me. "Little sister, huh?"

"You were supposed to be asleep!" I said, hugging her back

"Now that everyone's feeling better, we can formally introduce ourselves. My name is…or used to be…Sky. I didn't like going by Xing, so I just go by Sky," the tiger said

"I'm Fisk, and this is Lucy, my 'little sister'" I said, elbowing Lucy playfully

She laughed and jumped on my shoulders, crawling all over my like a huge spider and tickling me, causing me to laugh. I occasionally caught a glimpse of Sky grinning at us. After a little while of playing around, Sky cleared his throat.

"This is quite adorable, but right now I need to take you up to the Jade Palace, where I will train you in the ways of a Xing Warrior. Sound good?" he asked

"YEAH! I'll get to meet the furious five, and the Dragon Warrior!" I exclaimed, very excited

I was about to take off running with Lucy clinging to my back like a back pack, when Sky stopped me.

"First, we'll need to get you fitted with your own Xing weapon. Just hold still" he said, then placed a hand on my chest and head

I began to feel an odd tickling sensation on my back, and it migrated to my hands and down through my legs into my feet. Suddenly, the feeling skyrocketed for a split second, and then faded completely. I stood there, wondering what had happened, when I realized I was holding what looked to be a bow made of gold and obsidian. The colors alternating in spirals from bright neon yellow to the emptiest of blacks. I was in awe at its beauty.

"That's your new Xing Warrior Bow. Take care of it. It's useless in the hands of anyone but you, and is made from pure Xing energy, same as my dual spear. It's indestructible and key unlocking your Xing powers" He said

"Thanks. I'll take good care of it," I said as I slung it around my shoulder

"If you walk outside, then to the right you should see a lot of stairs. In a few minutes, start the climb. A test will be waiting for you upon arrival" He said, and before I had time to reply, he sprinted off in the direction he told me

"I think I'll wait here" Lucy said from behind me

I nodded and just stood there for a few minutes, then started my trip up the mountain of stairs. It took a while, but I finally made it to the top, and was met with the sight of Sky, The Furious Five, two wolves, Master Shifu, and The Dragon Warrior all lined up.

"Now we test your skills in combat. Choose your opponent, and prepare to fight" Sky said

I thought for a while. I didn't expect this, so choosing my opponent wasn't an easy task. I ruled out Sky, Master Shifu, and the Dragon Warrior right off the bat. I finally decided to go against the only other cat there.

"Master Tigress" I said

The others let out an exasperated grunt simultaneously.

"Why does tigress always get picked" Monkey said

"Maybe she's just the least scary in these people's eyes. I always knew they feared the bug" Mantis said

"Whatever. Guess I'm just the most popular" Tigress said, getting into position as the others walked to the sidelines

"Watch those ribs, kitty" Sky said from the sidelines, earning laughter from everyone

Tigress and I turned our attention on each other, sizing each other up. I was a couple inches shorter than her, but not too skinny. Relative to our size difference was the difference in our muscle size. Once I was in position, tigress spoke.

"I'm gonna start out easy, but dial it up as I see fit. And lose the bow, we aren't using weapons" She said

I nodded and tossed my bow to the side. When I was ready, Tigress yelled "go" and charged. Her speed was incredible, and I almost lost my focus but managed to regain my composure soon enough to dodge her first attack. I felt good, but that feeling was short lived as she quickly came back and struck me from behind. I took a deep breath and focused. Size her up…find a weakness. I turned around in time to do a matrix move, bending backwards in order to avoid a punch to my face. As I came back up I twisted and elbowed her in the chest. Was it sad that the only thing I could think was _squishy_? The blow stunned her for half a moment before she swept my feet from underneath me. She went to kick me in mid-air, but I grabbed her leg and pushed myself above her head.

Before she realized what happened, I kicked her in the head from above, causing her to stumble forward. She turned around and looked at me, giving me a look of surprise. She then charged again, but this time we met each other's attacks blow for blow, blocking, dodging and clashing. Eventually she dialed it up, and it was too much for me. She overpowered me and in turn I submitted with honor.

"You did well. I faced the same test, and accidentally broke some of her ribs. She still holds it against me" Sky said, smiling at Tigress as she elbowed him

I picked up my bow and slung it around my back, then took my place in front of everyone. But one person was missing.

"Where'd Mantis go?" Viper asked

We then heard a battle cry come from behind Sky, and he nonchalantly leaned to the side, and Mantis came hurling towards me. I had no time to react as he collided with my chest, sending me flying back and my vision went black as I hit my head on something behind me.

When I woke, it was to the sight of Lucy at my side and one of the wolves standing by a cot I was sleeping on. I groaned at the throbbing pain in my head. The wolf instantly turned her attention on me.

"Hey, you're awake. Mantis knocked you into a wall accidentally while trying to sneak up on Sky" She said

"Maybe he should stay silent. When did Lucy get here?" I asked

"About an hour ago…she wanted to be with you while you slept. You would've had a pretty bad concussion if Sky hadn't healed you. My name is Syrina. The other wolf is my husband, Collin. I brought our daughter here if you'd like to meet her. She wants to see what a Panther looks like" She said

"Yeah, sure. Bring her in whenever" I said, getting out of bed, turning my back and stretching out

I heard Syrina clear her throat and then speak. "This is my daughter, Niki"

I turned around and said hi. She was about the same height as me, and appeared to be the same age. She averted her eyes, seeming shy. Her eyes were blue and she wore cloths the same as her mother. The fur on her tail was trimmed nicely so it wasn't too fluffy. The fur on the top of her head was outgrown similar to mine, giving her a head of hair instead of fur. Hers was longer than mine, but very similar.

"Hi, I like your hair" She said

"Yours too" I replied while slinging my bow across my back, "it was nice to meet you. I'm gonna go explore town, get my barring's and stuff. I'll see you later" I said

I couldn't help but notice a slight hint of sadness on Niki's face as I walked by. As I walked down the hall in the direction of the exit, I heard a bunch of whispering, a gasp, and then the thumping of little feet. When I turned around, I saw Lucy and Niki chasing me down. Lucy jumped up onto my shoulders while Niki slowed to a walk beside me.

"My mom thought you'd need a guide and Lucy wanted to come" Niki said

"Alright then, let's head down to town" I said, then continued walking

"The exit is that way" She said

"I knew that" I said, turning around and walking the other way, earning a giggle from both girls

We walked down the billion stairs into town, and Niki started naming off places.

"There's Mr. Pings Noodle Shop, and the market is over there. Oh, and the ladies of the shade are performing!" she said as grabbed my hand and started dragging me over to go watch, nearly leaving Lucy in mid-air as she laughed

We began watching them do a parasol dance, doing many tricks that were actually quite amazing. I put Lucy on the ground for fear of a parasol hitting her off my shoulders. Just as I put her down, a couple hands grabbed my wrists and began pulling me into the crowd of dancers. I looked up to see that they were trying to include me into their performance.

"Oh no, no no no no no no nooooooooo!" I yelled pointlessly as the picked me up and threw me to the top of a big pyramid

They caught me and held me upside down as the music reached its end as well as the performance. The dancers helped me down and let me go, saying thank you for willingly being a part of the dance. After that, we just explored a bunch of other places and sampled some free food which was delicious. We went back to the palace after it started to get dark. We were all laughing as we walked in to the kitchen. They gave me a place to stay for the night, and I went to bed. I felt contempt and happy as I slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 3

I woke to the sound of a gong. It scared me so bad I almost hit the ceiling. I was scared again as I heard a voice next to me.

"You get used to it" Niki said, causing me to jump

"Don't do that! How long have you been in here?" I asked

"All night, didn't you know? You and Lucy are sleeping in the extra cots in my room" She replied

I thought about that for a minute. I guess I should've noticed the girly features and multiple extra cots. Don't know how I didn't.

"Huh, guess I just didn't realize. What was that gong for?" I asked

"It's to wake up all the adults for breakfast and training. They just headed down to the kitchen for soup. Want to go get some? Lucy already went" she replied

"Sure, let me just grab my bow" I said, getting up and walking over to the stand where my bow was

I picked it up and slung it around my shoulder, then walked to the door. I motioned Niki to follow, and she did, a smile across her face. Her teeth were very white. We walked out of the barracks and into a building near the back of the palace which was apparently the kitchen. We walked in while everyone was loading bowls of noodle soup to the table.

"Morning sweetie, morning Fisk" The male wolf I identified as Collin said

"Morning dad" Niki said, sitting at the table

"Morning. Man, that smells good!" I said, taking a good whiff of the air

"Thanks" Po said as he walked past

I stood in the corner of the kitchen, not really sure how seating was arranged. When everybody, including Shifu, was seated, I sat in the only empty seat there was.

"So Fisk, tell us a little more about yourself. We know seldom more than just your name" Collin said

I thought about how to reply to his request. I didn't even have a favorite color, what was there to tell?

"There's not much to tell about myself. I don't even have a favorite color. Let alone the fact that being an orphan kinda made my birth date a mystery. All I know is I'm a cross-bred panther with awesome hair and a love of martial arts. All I've ever done in life is protect myself and Lucy, and pretty much anybody I liked from the bullies at the orphanage. Good enough?" I asked

"For now, I guess. What about you, Lucy?" Syrina asked

We all looked at Lucy, who cowered back and looked at me for some reason.

"It's ok, Lucy. Go ahead and tell them about yourself" I said encouragingly

"Well, I'm nine years old and I like bean buns. My favorite color is white and I am also an orphan like Fisk" She said

The room was silent for a moment as people processed the new information. Once two seconds passed by, Master Shifu said to begin eating, so we did. The soup was amazing. Po called it his dad's Secret Ingredient Soup. When we'd all eaten, the people who needed to train went to the training hall. My jaw dropped as I walked in. Monkey was jumping around on rings hanging from the rafters. Viper was moving around some weird ground avoiding fire, and tigress was on some spiraling pieces of wood avoiding spiked wooden medicine balls swinging from the rafters. I watched as Crane and Mantis sparred in a big jade bowl.

"Yeah, it had the exact same effect on me when I first came her. Watch your head" Po said

"Huh? Ouch!" I yelled as debris from a broken medicine ball hit me in the head

"Told you" he said as he joined Viper in the flames

I just continued to stare in awe as they went through the obstacle courses as if they were nothing.

"No way am I doing those" I said to myself, then heard a voice behind me

"You could spar with me in the courtyard" Niki said

I turned around, nodded, and began to walk out until I was struck in the back by another piece of wood.

"Stop breaking those! They hurt!" I yelled at tigress, and then continued to walk

When we got to the courtyard, I tossed my bow to the side, and then got in my usual stance for when I train. She got in her own stance and began to advance on me. She tried do jab at my shoulder, but I leaned back. I then grabbed her throat.

"Focus, Niki. Go on offense, but keep your defense up," I said while letting go and stepping back

She grunted and came at me again with a kick to my head, but I jumped over it and landed behind her, kicking her in the back. She stumbled forward, then turned around and charged. She threw punches and kicks in a fury that would've impressed an average person, but not me. I dodged her with ease, and when I saw an opening I swept her legs from underneath her and used a butterfly strike to knock her away. I then noticed some people watching. Actually, everyone was watching. I didn't avert my gaze, though. Niki got back up and brushed off her clothes.

"You're pretty good. Guess I don't have to hold back" She said

"He's screwed now" I heard a whisper behind me

She then charged with amazing speed. I blocked her attacks, but her strength and speed matched my own. She was pushing me back, and I actually thought she was gonna win. I heard people talking about our technique and stuff, and heard them say that the hoped I managed to find her weakness in time. I didn't start looking for it though. I was too busy protecting my face. She managed to back me into a corner, and just as defeat was at hand, I felt a spark. I didn't know what it was, but something happened to me. I somehow took flight and went high into the air. As if I'd done it a million times, I spoke a weird incantation or something while both hand were placed together and aimed at Niki.

"Call to the solar comet, HAH!" I yelled, out of control, and sent a bright yellow glowing orb at her

By the time I realized what happened, it was too late. A small explosion sent a shockwave at me, knocking me from the air and to the ground. I immediately went to where Niki was, worried I'd hurt her. Smoke was everywhere, and both Collin and Syrina were already there searching for her, calling her name. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sky with his back turned to us cradling something. Niki! I sprinted over, but just as I was about to reach them, a wolf's foot collided with my side. I was sent tumbling to the ground.

"You stay away from her!" Collin yelled

"Niki!" Syrina yelled in worry, rushing over to care for her daughter

"She's fine. I got to her before the blast. She just passed out" Sky said

I got up from off the ground and ran over.

"Fisk, stay back!" Sky yelled, putting a hand in my direction

"I'm sorry! It was an accident!" I said, stopping in my tracks as tears began to form in my eyes

"I know it was. Look at your hands," he replied

When I looked, they were glowing bright gold, with what looked like black smoke trapped inside the light. I fell down in fear, trying to put out the light. Then Sky gave Niki to Collin and ran over to me, kneeling down in front of me.

"What do I do?!" I asked, still afraid

"Breathe, and focus. Your Xing powers are awakening. You're a distance fighter, so you need to have complete control. You must stay calm" he said

"How do I get control?!" I asked

"By training. You will learn to breathe and master your power, by remaining completely calm. You will learn how to control, like you're doing right now" he said

I looked back down at my hands and saw that the glow was fading, and my heart rate was going down. When I was back to normal, I stood up and was about to go check on Niki, but saw that her parents had already taken her somewhere else.

"She's back in her room" Viper said, looking in the directions of the barracks

I took off running, grabbing my bow as I passed by. I ran into the barracks and down the hall to her room. I could hear voices coming from inside the room.

"She could've been killed. We almost lost our little girl" Syrina said

"I know, but we can't blame Fisk. He doesn't-"

"Don't you dare defend him! He almost killed your daughter! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" She asked

"It means everything to me, honey. But have you seen the way she looks at him? Finally someone her age to play with, to run around with, and to be herself around! Can we really risk taking that away?" he asked in reply

After that there was a while of silence. Then I heard someone start crying.

"I'm sorry, I was just so scared! We almost lost her!" she said through sobs

"Come on, let's go to town and get her something for lunch. She should be awake when we get back" Collin said

I then heard the sound of footsteps, and for fear of being caught in some furry, I leapt silently into the rafters. When they went by, I dropped down and went into Niki's room. She was sleeping in her cot, snoring lightly. I sat cross legged beside her and could only think of the words they were saying. I really almost killed her? What's wrong with me?

"I'm so sorry, Niki. I don't know what happened, I just lost control…I just…I'm sorry" I said, as tears began to fall from my cheeks

I laid my head down on the cot and silently cried, until I drifted off to sleep. When I woke, it was to a voice speaking my name, and someone shaking me by the shoulder.

"Fisk, wake up. Fisk" I heard, then realizing who it was I sat up

"NIKI! You're ok!" I yelled, wrapping her in a hug, "I'm sorry I shot that…whatever it was at you! I don't know what happened, I just lost control! I'm sor-"

I was interrupted by her hugging me back and squeezing me to the point that my spine cracked.

"It's okay, I'm fine. It was an accident," she whispered comfortingly, "I forgive you"

She pulled away from the hug just in time for her parents to walk in with a bowl of soup.

"I should go" I said, then stood and walked out without further eye contact

I left the barracks and went straight to the sacred peach tree. The sun was beginning to go down and the temperature was cooling. I sat down cross legged by the tree and began to meditate. After maybe a half hour, I heard a voice behind me.

"I knew I'd find you here. It's where I always meditate" the voice I identified as Tigress said

"Seems like the calmest place in the palace" I replied without breaking my posture

"My thought exactly. What brings you up here?" She asked, sitting next to me

"What else?"

"I see. I partially know what you're going through" she said, causing my eyes to go wide

"You're a Xing?!" I asked

"I was, for only a month. Just long enough to drive the phantoms back to where they belong. Have you been told about them yet?" she asked

"No"

"Well, guess you should start listening. Long ago, before I was even born, Sky's grandfather discovered a strange power. Xing energy, a power above all. He took to mastering every version of martial arts there is, including American MMA, whatever that is. He became the greatest warrior on the planet, and that drew attention. Incredibly strong people from all corners of the globe wanted to be the best, and tried their hand at beating him, but were all defeated. Eventually, people became too strong for death to hold them. They came back to our world as phantom beasts, all led by Hēi'àn, the first and most powerful of all phantoms. The old Xing managed to defeat them, but it cost him his life. Many years later, an army of Phantoms was raised, and destroyed the dimension Sky is from. He and a friend of his named Biyu were the only two who escaped. They came to our world, and mastered being Xing Warriors. But their triumph was short lived as the Phantoms followed them here, and attacked at first in small numbers, but soon came with an army. As the Xing prophecy stated, Biyu was killed. Her spirit united with his, and they became one. Now the Grand Xing, they defeated Hēi'àn and brought piece to the world. But he still keeps watch, waiting for any sign of their return" She concluded, a sniffle to clear her nose, clearly saddened by the memory

"I never knew how important being a Xing is" I said

"There isn't a night I don't hear him crying. He misses her very much" she said, looking down

"What if they do come back? I'm only 10, how can I do anything to help? What if they're too strong?" I asked

"I don't know. All we can do is prepare"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 4

As time passed, I learned control of the Xing Energy within. I studied hard on the past of the Xing and the phantoms, and mastered Kung Fu and Tai Chi, then began Pai Shua. I mastered that when I turned 15, and learned that Niki was now fourteen, same as Lucy. I became familiar with everyone in town, from Fung and the Crocodile Bandits to the duck that sells apples all the time. I also learned how to properly use my Xing Warrior Bow, and yesterday I began Karate. As I woke from sleep in a home I was given last year, the one Sky use to live in, I heard a sound that never fails. I heard the sound of Fung getting the shit beaten out of him by Po. I got out of bed and went to Lucy's room to wake her up, then went to the bathing area in the back of the house to run a bath for her.

"Lucy, bath is ready!" I yelled once the tub was full of warm water

"Okay," I heard, followed by a thump, "I'm okay! Fell out of bed"

This caused me to laugh as I walked to the kitchen to prepare some morning jasmine tea. Just as I put some honey in Lucy's cup, she walked in in her usual cloths. She'd grown a little since back at the orphanage, but not as much as me. I was now as tall as Tigress and about twice as muscled as I used to be. Lucy only came up to my knees.

"Did you drain the bath?" I asked

She groaned and turned back around to go do so. I laughed and poured some tea into both cups. She came back in a few minutes later and grabbed her tea.

"Morning" I finally said

"Morning, what's your day gonna consist of?" she asked

"Just gonna train, maybe go into town and stop a few crimes. The usual" I said, then took a sip from my cub

"I'm just gonna walk around, maybe go see a performance from the Ladies of the Shade. Not sure yet" She replied, putting her cup down and stretching

I nodded and finished my tea, then went to run my own bath. The tub was only a hole in the ground which looked like the dragon pool in the jade palace. Once it was ready, I stripped off my new silk pants which were black with a golden belt that wrapped around my mid-section to hold them up. I slowly walked down the steps into the tub, adjusting to the warm water. I then grabbed the herbal soaps and began to scrub my silky black and white fur. The hair on my head was now longer, falling back to the middle of my neck. It was all white, which I did myself. I used my light ability to change the color, turning it white to contrast with the black nicely. I scrubbed hard, getting out all sweat and dirt. When I was clean, I started the drain and got out of the tub, heating up my body to evaporate the water in my fur. When I was dry I put my cloths back on and walked back to the kitchen to find Lucy already gone.

I then left, closing the door behind me. I walked up to the jade palace for training, but found it oddly quiet, until I heard a mantis battle cry to my left. I then suddenly had everyone in the jade palace except Sky attacking me. To avoid being surrounded, I did a backflip over Monkey, who was attacking from behind. They all crashed into each other, save for Po, who tripped. They were all quick to their feet, charging once again. Niki was the first to reach me, so I jumped over her and kicked her back, and then spin kicked away Collin and Syrina. I then ducked as Monkey tried to hit me with a bow staff. I then hit him with an uppercut sending him flying into Crane. Then came Tigress and Shifu in unison, along with Niki from behind. I turned sideways and did my best to defend, blocking all there attacks. I then tumble rolled forward, turning around in time to duck a lunging Viper, who flew over my head. I then went on the offensive, charging at Tigress and managing to nock her down in time to spin kick Po to the point of falling on top of Monkey and Mantis, who all lay there in pain. When I spun back around, everyone was backing up. I then heard a thump behind me.

When I turned around, there was Sky. He was holding his dual spear and one hand while kneeling on one knee. I then took my bow off my back in time for him to charge. I shot a light bolt at him, but he slid down on his knees and dodged it, then continued his charge. When he got to me, I turned to close combat. I used my bow like a staff, blocking his spear as he tried to take a swing at my head from above. While his hands were raised, I kicked him back, and without giving him a chance I shot an arrow of light at him. It struck him directly, knocking him down. I knew it wasn't over, so I charged at him. I leapt into the air and just before I landed on him, he rolled backwards and took to flight, a technique I haven't yet mastered. I could hear him speaking an odd incantation.

"Xing Yin Yang Attack!" he said, and I could see his hands beginning to glow as they were aimed at me

Shit! I began charging my Xing energy into my favorite attack, while aiming my bow at him. When I was charged, he was just beginning to shoot.

"Call to the solar commit, HAH!" I yelled, unleashing a bolt of energy at him

Our Xing attacks met at mid-distance between us and just stayed there, trying to overpower each other. I focused all my energy into making it move, but so did he. Eventually, the blasts exploded where they were, leaving a glittery look in the air. Sky then slowly hovered down to the ground, and when he got there, he bowed, followed by everyone else. I bowed back respectfully.

"You've become very strong, Fisk. Almost as strong as me" Sky said, smirking

"Almost" I agreed, breathing hard

I was then tackled by Niki, who hugged me while I was on the ground.

"I haven't been able to talk to you for almost a month, so I'm making up for it" She said as I hugged her back

"Hey, you two, you've still got training to do-"

"PO! Oh, son! Are you alright!" I heard Mr. Ping say, "I saw the explosion and thought you might be in trouble, and without you here who will help protect the noodle shop?!" he asked, trying to get Po up off the ground

"I'm fine, dad. We're just testing Fisk" he said

"Who?"

"Me" I said, standing up off the ground

"Oh that guy. I have to get back to the shop, be safe son" he said, and then started flying off

We all started laughing, and then went to the training hall. Sky and I were the last two to the door, but he stopped me from going in. I looked at him, and he motioned for me to follow him as we walked up to the sacred peach tree.

"You impressed me today. You know the stories about who I am, but yet you still rival my own strength. It's amazing" he said, looking down at me. He was still about three inches taller than me

"I just want to be ready if the Phantom Beasts ever come back" I replied

"The thing is, Fisk, You're more than ready. You've become so strong, I only have one thing left to teach you. Then I can teach you no more" he said, averting his gaze

"What?" I asked, implying both for clarification on what he was saying and also wondering what his final teaching would be

"Once I've taught you the flying technique, I'll no longer be your mentor" He replied

I thought about what he said. No longer my mentor? Then how do I learn the final Martial Arts versions? I looked at him for guidance, but he just looked down.

"It's been an honor teaching you, but you'll have to go out into the world and learn for yourself" He said

On pure instinct, I reached out and pulled him into a hug.

"You were a great mentor, and are the closest thing I've got to a dad. Once I've left, make sure Lucy is safe" I said once I pulled away

He nodded, and then motioned for me to follow him as he began to walk to the edge of the cliff by the tree.

"The key to flying it remembering that you control your own story. You have the control over yourself, of light, of the power you possess. Focus on that and then, fly" he said, then began to fly into the air

I thought about his words, closing my eyes and focusing on them. _I have control_ I thought. Without realizing it, my feet began to lift up off the ground, and I began to fly higher and higher into the clouds. When I opened my eyes and realized that it had worked. It felt amazing and I felt free. I began flying all over the village, enjoying the mid-day breeze. I'd never seen the world from above like this before…it was amazing! As I flew, I saw Lucy talking to some other bunny…I guy bunny. He was slightly taller than her, but seeming the same age.

"Hey, Lucy!" I yelled while flying low and towards her

She turned her head towards me, and a smile overtook her face.

"Fisk!" she yelled back

As I went by, I swooped her up into the air, tossing her onto my back as I flew.

"Wait, we're leaving Li-Yang behind!" she said, turning back and looking at the bunny she was talking to

"Okay, hold on!" I said, flying straight up and then upside down in his direction for a split second before twisting right side up

As I went at him, he turned tail and started to run, causing Lucy and I to laugh. I caught up easily and picked him up, tossing him on my back and having him land in front of me.

"This is my brother Fisk, the one I was telling you about!" she said

"YOU NEVER SAID HE COULD FLY!" he yelled, grabbing handfuls of fur

"That's cuz he couldn't before, but he said he'd be able to soon, and it's awesome!" she replied

I then cringed in pain as one of them sat on my bow, driving in into my back.

"Hey! Watch the bow!" I said, laughing slightly

"Sorry" Lucy said, laughing as well

After a while I got tired, so I flew to where I picked them up and landed there. Once we got Li-Yang to let go, I told Lucy I needed her up at the palace for an announcement. I walked with her up to the palace and into the main courtyard where I had her wait. The sun was starting to go down already, so there were some stars out. I went to the training hall, where I found everyone. I hit a switch to turn everything off, getting everyone's attention.

"I need everyone to meet me in the main courtyard in a few minutes. I've got an announcement to make" I said, then left

Within a few minutes everyone was gathered in the courtyard in front of me. I prepared what I was about to say, and began.

"When I first arrived here when I was ten, I felt like the weakest person in the world. As time went on, I got better, and stronger. I made friends I never thought I could, but all this came at a cost. Sky?" I said, requesting he say what he said to me

"He's become too strong. His powers rival my own, so I can no longer train him" he said

"Which is why, come tomorrow, I'm leaving" I continued, earning a gasp from a few people, including Lucy and Niki. "I need to travel the world and seek out my training. I'll start in Gongmen City, but then I'll be going quite far. I'll be going to America to learn what they call MMA. I'll be gone for a long time" I concluded

Everyone was silent, until I heard someone start to cry. I looked at Lucy, but she wasn't, so I looked at Niki. She was crying, and then she took off running in the direction of her room. I reached out in the direction she ran and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I watched as she ran to her room, followed by her parents. Then Tigress approached.

"You remind me of me. You'll do anything to keep training, and I respect that. I wish you could still stay here, but I think you're making the right choice" she said, then pulled me into a hug

I hugged her back with my eyes closed. When we broke apart, the rest of the five, Po, and Shifu had already gone.

"I'll be leaving in the morning" I said

She nodded, then walked away, leaving only Lucy and I. She instantly ran over to me and jumped high enough to wrap her arms around my neck.

"When did you grow up?" she asked

"I could ask the same about you. You're taking this quite well" I said, wrapping my arms around her back

"I'm happy for you. My big brother going to explore the world like no Xing ever has" She replied, pulling back far enough to look me in the eyes

After staying in that position for a while, I realized how dark it was. I told her that we better get home, and we did. She went straight to bed, and so did I. but a few minutes after laying down, I heard a knocking on the wooden door that blocked the window I night. I got up and opened it, and there I saw Niki.

"Hey" She said, looking down slightly

"Hi…you uh, wanna come in?" I asked

She nodded, so I stepped back and let her jump through the window. I closed the door behind her.

"So, you're really gonna go, huh?" she asked

"Yeah, I am. I hope you don't think it's to get away from all you guys" I said

"No, no, I didn't think that. It's just…the thought of you not being here" she said, then looked away

My room was dark, so I used my Xing powers to make it so I could see. To her it would still be dark, and for me it was too, but now I could see her.

"I'm only doing this so I'll be able to protect the people I care most about if the Phantom beasts return" I said

"How long will you be gone?" she asked

"Impossible to say. Couple years…maybe more" I replied

At this she once again looked down, a few tears falling from her cheeks and matting the fur on them. I decided to go on instinct and wrapped an arm around her, pulling to sit down on the bed. We sat there, her in my arms silently crying. What I was feeling was hard to explain. A pain in my heart, being caused by my emotions toward the situation. Eventually, she fell asleep in the sitting position she was in, leaning against my chest. Not wanting to wake her, I slowly laid back in the bed, making sure not to drop her. When we were fully laid back, I slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep.

When I woke, we were in the same position. I woke to a knocking on the front door. I stood up, careful not to wake Niki and walked to the door. I opened it to the sight of everyone from the Jade Palace save for Niki. Collin was the first to speak.

"Fisk, we were originally coming here as a goodbye party, but we need your help. We fear Niki has run away overnight-"

"It's ok, Collin, she's here. She came to me in the night to talk and fell asleep" I said

He and Syrina let out a sigh of relieve just as Niki and Lucy walked out. Lucy handed me a leather pack filled with what she said was everything I'd need. One by one, everyone gave me a hug and said their goodbyes. Even Shifu gave me a hug. Hugging Viper was awkward, but we managed. When it finally came to Lucy, she did shed a few tears while saying goodbye. Niki was reluctant to say goodbye.

"I can't say goodbye to you. You're my best friend, and if I say goodbye I feel like I won't ever see you again" She said, crying once again

"Then how about see you later?" I offered, pulling her into a hug

She hugged me back and it lasted for almost a full minute before we broke apart.

"Alright, but you better come back," She replied, wiping her eyes

"Count on it" I said, hugging her again, before I strapped the bag around me shoulder and walked toward the exit of town

"Sky, keep them safe" I said, then kept walking

I watched them as long as I could as I walked, until they were out of sight. All I could thing were these words: Until we meet again.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 5

Upon arriving in Gongmen City, I was met by some Emperial Guards.

"The Emperor sent us to see you brought to your staying quarters in the palace" they said

I didn't bother to argue and jumped into the rickshaw they brought, pulled by a goat. They brought me to a large tower that was apparently the main tower of the palace. The brought me past it into the palace, and it was much bigger than the Jade Palace. They then took me to the entrance, where I was surprised to find the emperor himself waiting with a box. I got off the rickshaw and kneeled to the ground respectfully.

"Rise, Fisk. Formalities are for formal occasions. I welcome you as a quest" he said

I rose from the ground and took note of his features. He was a Komodo Dragon wearing large royal garments. He had a smile on his face as he presented the box to me.

"Master Shifu sent these for you. A few presents from your friends" He said as I took the box, "You may view them in the quarters we've prepared for you"

He then led me into a large building which was what he called the guest quarters. A big house which held a bedroom, washroom, and kitchen. The floors seemed made of marble and the walls of a beautiful wood.

"This will be your home until you leave for America" he said, then left me to get settled in

I went into the bedroom and sat on the cushioned mattress, setting the box down beside me and taking off my pack and bow. I then opened the box and on top found a letter.

 **Dear Fisk,**

 **We've sent you some items to make sure you never forget us in your travels. On top, is from Niki. She painted you a picture of you and her together from pure memory, very detailed.**

I took a break from reading to take out the painting. It was like it was copied from life. I shed a tear as I saw her. I then continued reading.

 **Next is your old mentor. He's sent you his old Kung Fu vest, and says that you can use your Xing Energy to change the colors to match your pants.**

I took out the vest and gave it a good look. It was light blue with bamboo designs on the front. I snapped my fingers and changed the colors. The bamboo turned gold along with anything else on it that used to be black. The blue I turned black then put it on. It fit perfectly.

 **And finally, we give you our best. We'll miss you while you're gone, and safe travels young one.**

 **Yours truly,**

 **Master Shifu-**

I nearly started crying as I hugged the letter. I put the letter and picture on the table by the bed and lay down on the silk blankets. The sun was now going down as I had arrived late in the day, so I went to bed early. I dreamt of home…eating Mr. Pings noodle soup and hearing Tigress beat up Po for making a smug remark. But I woke from that dream in the middle of the night to the sound of something in the other room. I heard a quick patting, and then it quickly moved into the kitchen. How's it so fast? No…there's more than one. Judging by the speed and location, I presumed there were three. I quickly grabbed my bow and readied myself for anything. I then heard a female voice.

"So the rumors are true. A visitor…sisters, aren't we always so pleased to meet visiting royals?" she asked, her voice very close

"Yes indeed, sister. We should discover just who this royal is" another female voice spoke

"Show yourselves!" I yelled forcefully

"Oh, it's a male I see" a third voice spoke

I then saw three figures walk into the dim moonlight. I used my Xing Powers to allow me to see them. They were three female snow leopards, all wearing the same outfit. The one in the center had a blind eye, and I was ready to defend as she raised a hand, but I saw she was holding something…my bow! I checked my hand, but saw it was gone.

"How did you-" I was interrupted

"This is quite an interesting weapon you've got here, kitty cat. Where'd you come across it?" she asked, seeming actually curious

"It was a present, now give it back!" I lied

"I like you, kid," the one on the left said, "You don't seem scared of us. Do you know who we are?" She asked

"Not a clue" I said as I quickly swiped my bow from the hands of the center leopard

"He's fast, and he didn't even think about the consequences of such actions. He really doesn't know who we are" the one on the right confirmed

"Kid doesn't get around, does he?" the middle one asked, earning a snicker from the other two

"I think they're in the guest house!" I heard a guard yell as they ran in this direction

"We're the Wu Sisters" the middle one said, then jumped out the window

"Gotta run. See you around, kitty" the one on the left said as she turned and ran her tail under my chin before following her sisters out the window, just in time to escape the guards who ran in

"Mr. Fisk, the Wu Sisters have escaped the dungeon. Have you seen them go by anywhere?" he asked

I was silent for a moment, still thinking about what happened.

"Mr. Fisk?" they asked

"Sorry, yes I saw them. They came in and out the window, but from there I can't help you" I said

They thanked me then ran out the door to follow them. I shrugged off what just happened and went back to sleep, this time dreamless. When I woke it was to the sound of a goat walking in with a tray of food and tea.

"Morning, Mr. Fisk. I've brought you breakfast and a list of areas in the city to check for people to teach you Karate" she said, placing the tray on the table by the painting and letter

"Morning, and what's with the Mr. Fisk stuff? I'm still a young teen, just call me Fisk" I replied, grinning

She let out a giggle and gave me a plate full of various breakfast items. She was somewhere in her low twenties by my guess. I ate the food and drank the tea, then took the list of places from her.

"Thank you for the food, I'll be heading out now" I said, grabbing my bow and pack and heading out

I started in the areas closer to the palace, but had no luck. They were all either dead or false rumor. I then moved to the common area, where the normal people lived. I found one person there, but he was unwilling to train me, so I moved on to the lower areas, where people were poor and criminals ran wild everywhere. The sun was mid-was across the sky, so I thought it was mid-day. As I walked through town, I saw people wearing ripped rags, if anything, and wolves were running around taking what little they had. The sight angered me. I saw a couple wolves robbing an old bunny and sprang into action. I jogged over unseen, and snuck up behind him.

"Come on, old man. Even you people gotta have more than three Yuan!" the wolf yelled, holding a sword aimed to impale the old bunny

"Please, sir, that's all I have!" he begged

"Not enough to save a lepers life!" the wolf said and prepared to run him through

"HEY!" I yelled

This got the wolves attention, causing him to turn around and look at me. He looked me up and down, and then grinned.

"This guy's dressed like royalty! Silk clothes, nice bow, leather pack, gold mine! Hold him, boys!" he said, and sent his two wolf counterparts to hold me still

I allowed them to grab me just for laughs, and even let them search my stuff.

"What's he got?" the wolf asked

"Just a bow a pack and a piece of paper with some weird symbols written on it" the wolf said, sounding exasperated

The leader's eyes went wide at what he heard, making me smirk.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked

"Sorry Wan-Lu, kids just a fancy dresser" he said

 _Wan-Lu…he's the one I'm looking for! Never thought I'd do this_ I thought.

"Wan-Lu, huh? I've been looking for you" I said, pulling my arms free from his goons. They tried to grab me again but I tossed them aside, and then walked toward the wolf

"You see, I need someone to train me in Karate, and rumor has it you are a master" I said

"Well, rumors might be true. But if I do, what would be in it for me?" he asked, crossing his arms

I was about to answer when a look of fear overtook his face.

"Wan Wu" he said, then stumbled backwards

I turned around and saw the Wu Sister who seemed to have a crush on me.

"Hey kitty, what's a royal stud like yourself doing out here in the scrubs?" she asked

"To tell you the truth, I'm not royalty. Just a guest of honor. I'm out here looking for him, so he can teach me Karate" I replied, looking at Wan-Lu, who's name I just now discovered rhymed with hers

"Oh really? I hope he isn't giving you any trouble…" she said, taking a step towards him

I then pondered his last question, and came up with an answer.

"I pay you 100 Yuan for every good 12 hours of training and stop her from killing you. Sound good?" I asked

He nodded, so I grabbed onto her shoulder and told her he wasn't giving trouble at all. She nodded turned her attention on me.

"So where you from, Kitty?" she asked

"The valley of peace, and its Fisk, not Kitty" I replied, grabbing my stuff from off the ground

"Well then, Fisk, I've gotta run. See you later" she said, and then leapt onto a roof and out of sight

"So, when do we start?" I asked

"Wait, we checked your stuff, you don't have any money, so how will you pay me?" he asked

I then in reply took my bow and aimed it at the ground. I closed my eyes and focused on the symbol Sky taught me and pulled the string back. When I was ready, I focused a small amount of Xing Energy into the bow and released the string. When the Xing Arrow hit the ground, a small pouch of gold coins was left. Five coins to be exact. I picked it up and tossed it to him.

"Here's a bonus for being so generous. Answer your question?" I asked

"Clearly. But just so I can be sure of your loyalty to my training, let me see that bow" he said, so I tossed it to him

He looked it over, and told me how remarkable it was. He gave me another glance before aiming at the ground, pulling and releasing the string.

"Why won't it work?" he asked

"Oh, the bow itself is useless as anything but a catalyst for increasing my power. The power itself is something I have" I said, creating a ball of energy in my hand to demonstrate, and tossed it high into the sky, then making it explode into something of a firework

He grunted and tossed the bow to me, which I caught and strapped around my shoulder.

"We start tomorrow. Meet me here first thing in the morning" he replied, then walked away

I took that as a yes and walked over to the old bunny, giving him some gold coins I took from the pouch secretly. Without another word, I took to flight back toward the palace. The sun was beginning to go down now, and my stomach was growling like Tigress when she was angry. I was about to speed up when a familiar Leopard landed on my back and forced me to land in an alley.

"Couldn't keep away, could you?" I asked

"I saw what you did, and it was something I've seen done before. Seven years ago, some weird black monster attacked here, and two cats managed to destroy it with some weird energy. Tell me what you are before I rip you to shreds!" she commanded, grappling my throat

I stood there with my arms crossed, a smirk on my face.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I asked

Her grip tightened for a full second before she let go and sighed in frustration.

"I know I can't beat you, but please tell me! I've been trying to figure out who those two were and what that thing was all these years!" she pleaded

"Those two cats were Sky and Biyu, two Xing Masters. I'm a Xing Warrior, a master in training. That thing was a Phantom General" I replied

"Little more detail than that" she said

I sighed and placed my hand on her head, telling her to hold still. I then focused the memory of my dreams and the story Tigress told me all those years ago. I played it out like a movie in her head. It took about three minutes before it was done. She looked at me in amazement, and then her expression changed.

"So, that makes you one of the good guys?" she asked

I nodded.

"Why haven't you arrested me, or my sisters?" she asked

"Until such time as you show me reason to, I'll not take the word of the government. I judge for myself" I replied

"Wow…that's a first" she said, looking down and considering my words

"So, you got plans for later? I'm only avoiding the Emperial Guards. They caught my sisters until I break them out" she asked

"I WAS heading back to the palace for dinner, but in my travels across the globe I'm planning on making some friends. Why not start here" I replied

"Great. I know a joint nearby that doesn't mind criminals or strangers" She said, walking out of the alley and across the street to a small building. We walked in and I instantly saw people being punched and thrown all over the place. _Oh, one of these places,_ I thought.

"There's an empty table over there, let's go sit" She said, leading me to an empty table

Once there, we waited in silence for a hog to walk by and ask if we'd like anything. I told her I would eat anything, so she ordered fried rice. When it got there is when she really started to interview me. She asked me the same question I was asked my first time eating dinner at the Jade Palace.

"Tell me about yourself, Fisky. What goes on in that head of yours?" She asked, leaning over the table slightly

"It's Fisk, and there's not much to tell. I was an orphan before some crocs burned down the orphanage. All my life I've only ever thought of protecting the people I care about. I don't even know my own birthday, let alone have a favorite color. I have a sister back at the valley named Lucy, and my best friends name is Niki. That's all there really is to me" I replied, then began eating my rice

She just sat there, mouth agape. I laughed at the sight.

"What's up with you?" I asked

"You're so pure…not a thought beyond protecting your loved ones?" she asked

"Not really…other than training so I have a better chance of protecting them, which is what brought me here" I replied

"Wow…if my sisters knew I was talking to someone like you they'd probably kill me" she said, eating her own rice

After we finished eating, we were about to leave, until a big Ox slammed a wanted poster down on the table.

"You're Wan Wu, aren't you? There's quite a price on your head…a price that would do me nicely" he said, grabbing her upper arm and lifting her up off the ground

"Dude…that really isn't a great idea" I said, but too late

Wan had already escaped his grip and thrown him out the door.

"Shall we-"

"There she is! That's Wan Wu!" a guard said

Not wanting to be seen, I used my Xing energy to turn the entire room pitch black for everyone save for Wan and I. she seemed very confused as nobody seemed to know what was happening or where they were. They were all tripping over tables, chairs, and each other.

"What's wrong with them?" she asked

"I basically blocked all light from their vision, so they can't see anything" I replied, grabbing her wrist and leading her out of the building

When we were clear, I gave them their vision back and then took off running with Wan in tow. We ran all the way to the other side of the lower part of the city.

"I've got to be getting back to the palace. I'll see you later" I said, then took to flight

As I looked back, she was just watching me leave, her gaze seeming locked yet distant. When I reached the palace, I somehow triggered an intruder alert. Bells started ringing and Emperial Guards were coming at me from all sides. They stopped with no time to spare, mere centimeters from me.

"Fisk, what are you doing arriving so late? Stop the alarms!" the general yelled out

"My apologies general, but being a Xing isn't about going to bed early. I'm quite busy" I replied

"Well, I bid you goodnight, sir" he said, then ordered his guards away

I went into the guest house, closing the front door behind me. I then went into the bedroom and closed that door also, then took off my vest and lay down in bed, slowly drifting off to sleep. I dreamt once again of home. I saw an older version of Niki welcoming me home with open arms, and fresh made soup from Mr. Pings ready to eat, which he generously gave us a 10% discount on. But I was drug out of my sleep by the sound of a door closing. I quickly sat up and grabbed my bow, ready to defend myself, when I heard a familiar voice.

"Easy Kitty, just thought I'd give you a wake-up call. Almost time to be heading out" She said, sitting on the bed beside me

"You shouldn't be here" I said, rubbing my eyes

"You know, in the fortress we sleep on rocks. We don't have cushioned beds and silk blankets. I could take offense of that" she said

"Honestly they aren't that comfy. Not when you aren't used to them" I replied, putting on my vest

After I was dressed, I went out the door, followed closely by Wan. I strapped my pack on my back along with my bow before leaving. We casually walked out of the palace, unnoticed by the guards. On the walk she began to talk on odd subjects that I didn't entirely understand. Stuff about wars and conquest and stuff. I didn't really talk back, just listened until she asked me an unexpected question.

"Hey, this has been bugging me for a while. Is there anyone special in your life from back in the valley?" she asked

The question stumped me. I hadn't a clue if I did or didn't. Niki was definitely a special person in my life, but what did that make her? Was she a really good friend or…something more? I thought in silence for a while, just walking along.

"I…I really don't know the answer to that question" I replied blankly, continuing the walk

The walk from there was silent until we arrived at our destination. From there she left, and I waited for a long while. Eventually he showed up, almost a half hour late. When he arrived, he got straight to business. He brought me to some secluded area and instructed me on what to do. He had me punch trees and kick falling leaves. At first it seemed pointless, but I then noticed that I slowly became more accurate with my kicks and my punches became stronger. By the end of the day I could punch down small trees and I could hit a bee as it flew by. I went home really sore, taking a long warm bath to relax. I then went to sleep. I woke the next morning and followed the same basic routine, a different task to perform every day. Over a year passed, not a day when I didn't train. Wan and I became good friends, which Wan-Lu grew weary of. He was afraid of disappointing me, because I could have a Wu Sister beat the crap out of him at will. I was impressed by how well he trained me. I managed to master everything he had to teach me, and prepared to move on. I planned to stay a couple days just to relax. As I entered the guest house, I put my bow and pack on the bed. I was about to walk out when I saw Wan enter in a silk robe, her fur matted to her skin.

"Hope you didn't need a bath. Waters draining" she said, then walked into the kitchen

"You're getting a bit too comfortable being around me, don't you think?" I asked, lying down in my bed

"It's just nice knowing I can be like this around someone without being abused in three seconds" I heard from the kitchen

I couldn't help but laugh a little at the thought of someone as powerful as her being so helpless.

"That's what turned my sisters and I so bitter. Nobody ever wanted to show us any kindness, or respect. We were just young girl ripe for the picking in everyone's eyes" she said, walking in with a couple cups of tea

"Must have sucked…hey, what do you think would happen if your sisters and you were shown an act of extreme kindness. What would that do to you?" I asked

"I'm not sure. If you're suggesting it turn us to good girls, it'd take a majorly huge act of kindness" she replied

Over the next few days, I packed up all my things and spent some side time with Wan, exploring the city. She told me in detail about Lord Shen's attack of the city and obsession with explosives. Quite a psycho in my opinion. When it came to my final day in Gongmen City, I blindfolded Wan and took her somewhere she didn't know. I'd set up a meeting with the emperor to discuss some important matters. I had all my items with me. I walked her blindfolded into the main building all the way to the top floor, where the emperor was waiting.

"Your majesty, I present to you Wan Wu" I said, taking off the blind fold

She looked at me with sadness, and pleading eyes.

"You're turning me in?" she asked

Without confirming, nor denying her suspicions, I took a few steps toward the emperor.

"Your majesty, I come before you presenting Wan to make a humble request. Set her and her sisters free, and see what happens" I said, smiling

"Are you crazy?! They are three of the most evil and dangerous criminals in the province, why would I set them free?" he asked

"Ask yourself this: have you or anyone else ever shown these three a simple act of kindness? Have you ever given them any reason to respect your laws?" I asked

His expression turned to one of thought, and it stayed that way for several minutes.

"If you wish, I can pay a handsome price for their release" I said

"No, that won't be necessary. Captain!" he called, followed by the entry of a rhino, "Take these two down to the dungeon. We're releasing the Wu Sisters"

The rhino looked surprised, but nodded and led us back down the stairs and into an underground dungeon, where we found the two Wu Sisters in a cell. They seemed surprised to see me as the door to the cell opened. Wan ran over and hugged her two sisters.

"What's going on?" Su asked

"Call it an act of kindness" I replied, walking up to them

"I've convinced the emperor to let you go free. I made him believe that if you were treated kindly," I paused as I reached out and controlled the light to make her blind eye able to see again, "the kindness will be returned"

"Why are you doing this for us?" Wing asked, followed by a nod from the other two

"Because I know that no matter how evil anyone is, they can always find the good within. You may not be young girls ripe for the picking, but that doesn't mean you have to be criminals" I replied

They then all wrapped me in a group hug, thanking me.

"We'll do our best to find the good within ourselves" Wan said

"But don't expect us not to rob once in a while" Su said, followed by the giggling of her sisters

"I won't, but I fear I won't be able to be here to see you change for the better. My journeys now must take me far away, to America" I said

Together we all walked to the very front of the city and onto a bridge that overlooked a lake on one side and a river on the other. We stood there for a while, just watching the sun move across the sky. It wasn't until mid-day that I began saying my goodbyes.

"I've got to be off. I'm gonna need a boat, cuz I can't fly that far. Goodbye" I said as I hugged them all one last time before flying off in the direction my instincts told me America was in

As I flew, I could only think about what America would be like. So many things to try. Exotic foods, auto-mobiles, moving pictures, the thoughts made me excited. When I finally reached the docks that led out to sea, I looked for the correct boat. Some people were fishermen who barely went far at all, while others were long distance travelers going in the wrong direction. I finally found a trade boat going to America and paid the captain 500 Yuan for the trip. I only really ate, slept and worked on the ship. Raising sails and tying knots and stuff. I spent most my time on deck making sure that we didn't wreck. I was able to use my Xing powers to guide us through storms. The trip was long, but I got to know the crew who turned out to be American. There was Bobby, the navigator. He was a plain old German shepherd. Then there was Jack, who was an otter. Quite the storyteller I might say, and finally, the captain's name was John. He was a big monitor lizard, of which bread I wasn't sure. They taught me English and over the few months over sea's, I learned to speak it fluently.

When we finally reached the American beaches, the sight amazed me. So many people and large towns everywhere! For miles all I saw was civilization, and I marveled at the sight. I said my goodbyes to the crew and jumped onto the dock. It took me a moment to readjust to the still ground, but was soon on my way into the city they called New York. The place was HUGE! I was going crazy, just marveling at the sight. And the people were all so different! Instead of goats, geese, rabbits and things, they were all dogs, cats, hairs, some really big mice. It was completely, mind bogglingly, AMAZING! After taking it all in, I read some signs that directed me to places they called parkways and drives. I walked out onto a strange black path, and was almost run over by and automobile. I decided to follow the paths other people were walking on, when I heard someone scream.

"Help! He stole my purse!" I heard and turned around just in time to grab a guy running away with a pink leather bag. I stopped him and took the bag back, then tossed him aside

I then realized that everyone had a hairdo like me. Then a white cat with long black hair ran up to me.

"Thank you, sir. I thought I'd never see this again" she said

"You are welcome" I replied, doing my best not to break my streak of good English

"I'm Beth" she said, extending a hand

Having studied American culture, I knew to shake her hand instead of bowing.

"Fisk, pleased to meet you. Might I ask where to find a place where I can learn MMA?" I asked

She laughed and said I was asking the wrong person.

"Where you coming from?" she asked, looking at my cloths and how they differed from the blue pants she was wearing and her white shirt

"The Valley Of Piece in China" I replied

"Wow, you get around, don't you? If you still need an answer to that question, you could come to my place and look it up on the web" she said

"Yes, that would be great. Thank you" I said

"No problem. My cars parked just over here" she said, leading me across the black path and towards a small auto-mobile, or Car

I got in and buckled my seat belt as she instructed, and she drove out onto what she called the road. After a few minutes, she parked in an area full of cars and let me into what she called her apartment. She led me over to a weird metal box which she made light up and then started hitting buttons on a black board. After about a minute, she exclaimed that she found it. She told me that signups for training cost 100 dollars a month. I told her money wasn't an issue, but the thought about my cloths and asked if there was somewhere I could purchase some American clothes. I watched as a smile swept over her face.

"You are like…every girls dream! No guy wants to go cloths shopping! The mall is just down the road, come on!" she almost yelled as she dragged me back out to her car

She then drove us to a large building filled with multiple small stores, two large ones, and a "food court" from which I smelled something very sweet. She drug me into a store called Sears and brought me over to the Men's section, where she instantly picked out a pair of blue pants, black shorts, and a plain black shirt. She gave them to me and forced me into a small room, closed the door, and told me to try them on from outside. I took off my vest, bow and pack and put on the black shirt. The lengths were fine, but my muscular build made the shirt cling tightly to my body. I then took off my silk pants and put on the blue ones, which felt heavier but still fit well. Only now did I notice that the fur on my arms was all black, but both my hands were completely white. The pants fit well, and I was about to walk out when she knocked on the door. I opened it and she walked in with some weird metal thing. She put it on the ground and told me to put my foot inside. She moved a couple items on it and then walked out, soon walking back in with another box. She opened it and showed me two flat bottom black shoes with a V on them. She put them on my feet and tied the laces, then stood up to admire her work.

"You look like a sexy hunk. I knew you were the same size as my dad!" she exclaimed

"Interesting choice of words" I said

"We'll just grab a couple more shirts and pairs of jeans, then some socks, boxers, and then you'll be on your way!" she said

She left, closing the door behind her, so I took the time to create 1000 American dollars. I put the money in my pack, then took the cloths off and put mine back on. I then grabbed all the items and walked out, meeting her by a counter that had a female dog behind it.

"Your total comes to $123.75. Will that be cash or credit?" She asked

I thought about it for a little while and remembered what the crew taught me about US currency, then took out the money. I pulled out $125.

"Cash" I replied

When we had all the items, Beth led me to the food court, where I got my first Cinnabon. It was alien to what flavors I was used to, but good all the same. We sat at an empty table and just talked.

"So, what brings you to the US?" she asked

"Learning how to do MMA" I replied, eating my food and drinking the thing she called Pepsi

"Well, duh! Why do you want to learn MMA?" she asked

"So I can protect the ones I care about from the Phantoms should they ever return" I replied, causing her to go wide eyed and frozen

"What the hell does that mean? What's a Phantom?" she asked, and I forgot that America hasn't seen anything of the sort

"Oh, sorry, I'm what's known in China as a Xing Warrior. My mentor could no longer teach me, so I've come here in search of training. Phantoms are dark beings that invaded china long ago, and are always at risk of returning" I said, smiling as I took another sip of my fizzy drink

"And I'm supposed to believe that how?" she asked

"I'll prove it when we're somewhere not so public. Don't want to start a panic, do we?" I asked in reply

"Alright, whatever…if you're done, we can go. Need to get you back into those American cloths" She said, grabbing the wrappers and things from her food and throwing them in a plastic bin

"Alright" I replied, copying what she did

We then grabbed the various clothing items and walked back to her car. She drove us back to her apartment and put me in another small room, where she had me put on the black shirt, "boxers", socks, the pants, and the shoes. All the heavy clothing definitely felt different from my normal silk wear. When I was dressed I slung my bow over my shoulder again and walked out, hearing a gasp.

"Ok, with that bow you look like a sexy archer now!" she said, seeming very excited

"The cloths are heavy" I replied

"You'll get used to it," she stated, then placed her hands on her hips, "Now about proving to me that you are this Xing Warrior thing and that Phantoms are real…" she trailed off

"What would you like to see?" I asked

"I don't know, just make me believe" she replied

"Alright, come outside with me" I said, walking out the front door

When we were outside, I picked her up in my arms, causing her to yelp.

"What are you doing?! Put me down!" she yelled

"You wanted proof, so hold on" I replied, getting ready to fly

"Yeah proof, not rape! Put me AAAAAAHHHH!" she screamed as we took flight

I flew her high enough to be able to see over the buildings, while she held on very tight. She wasn't going to be dropped, I knew that much. Once I found a good spot to just hover, I did and began to speak.

"You see, Xing possess amazing abilities that allow them to do amazing things. Apparently, I'm a very special Xing. I can control light, color, and when mastered my mentor told me I'd be able to bend time and space, but I think that's an exaggeration" I said

"Ok, that's cool, can we please go back to solid ground?" she asked

I laughed and flew us back down to the entrance of her apartment, then put her down. We walked back inside and sat on her couch.

"So, now I'm scared…you say these phantoms can't be killed by anything but a Xing, and you and your mentor are the only two left?" she asked for clarification

"That about covers it, yeah. And in case you were wondering, Phantoms are actually people who were too strong to stay dead, so they come back as beings of darkness" I replied

"Well, in that case you can crash here if you like. Hotels won't let you take a bow in" she offered, sounding more like she was asking me to stay

"That would be nice, but are you sure? I don't want to intrude…" I replied

"No, it's fine, I could use the company. Most my friends are off at college and can't hang out" she said, talking rather quickly in the beginning

"Well alright, I'll stay. I hope you realize that I could be here for well over a year depending on how training goes" I said

"All the better, I could teach you a few American skills to show your friends back home" she said enthusiastically

"Alright, if you're sure about this" I replied, then thought about all the things I wanted to try

"What you thinking about?" she asked

"All the things I want to try while I'm here. Cheeseburgers and moving pictures and amusement parks. From what I've heard, they're all quite amazing" I replied

"Well, I've got tons of movies here, and there're restaurants all over that sell burgers. Why don't you wait here, and I'll go grab some to-go burgers" she said, grabbing her purse

I thought about it and told her to wait a minute, then took out some money from my bag, handing it to her.

"My treat" I said

"Well, you're quite the gentlemen. Wait here, I'll go get the burgers" she said, and then walked out the door

I took the spare time to take out the painting Niki made and just look at it. After a few minutes I decided to take inventory. I took out all the items I had, which included the painting, the letter, all my new cloths, my old ones, my bow, the money, and another piece of paper that I hadn't yet looked at. It only had one symbol, plus Chinese writing that read: this is a Xing Messenger symbol. Whenever you miss us, just use it. I decided not to for the moment, for fear of it being a one-time usage. Beth arrived back just as I finished putting my stuff away, bringing in two bags, both with a big yellow M on them, along with some clown dog. After we got settled with the food, she put on a movie she called The Forbidden City and after watching it, I went to bed on her couch, drifting into a peaceful sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 6

I woke to the sound of someone moving around in the kitchen. I instantly shot up, bow in hand and aimed over the counter at whoever was inside.

"WHOA, whoa, it's just me!" Beth yelled, shielding her face

I put my bow down, sighing.

"You shouldn't do that...and try to protect more just your face in the future" I replied, sitting back down on the couch and grabbing my a clean shirt from my pack

"Sorry, I'm an early riser. How do you take your Coffee?" she asked, taking out some weird can, a black scooper, and a big white weird looking thing

"My what?" I asked

"Oh yeah, you've never had Coffee have you? I'll just give it to you how I take it" she said, putting two scoops of what looked like black powder into the white machine, then hitting a button

I heard the machine start making weird noises as she grabbed a clear class pot and placed it in a slot in the machine. She then walked over and sat down on the couch next to me.

"So we found an MMA gym nearby, when do you want to head down there?" She asked

"As soon as possible, I'd like to master the art and get back to china" I replied

"Alright, I guess we could go after breakfast. And we're gonna want to dress warmly, cuz winter is coming. Gonna be cold today-SHIT!" she randomly exclaimed, slapping her palm to her face

"What?" I asked, slightly smiling

"I forgot to pick you out a sweater" she replied

"Don't worry about it, I'm used to it. Have you seen those cloths I was wearing? No thermal whatsoever" I said, laughing

"Ok, I'll take your word for it. Let me get the coffee and then I'll make some eggs" she replied, getting up and walking back into the kitchen

I sat there tying my shoe laces the way she taught me, having to make multiple attempts before I deemed them correct, and then double knotting them. When she came back she handed me a cup of a lighter brown, very hot drink. The heat surprised me as I wrapped my hand around the cup. I was very careful as I took my first sip from the cup. It tasted odd, but also good. I drank it slowly in comparison to Beth, who drank as quickly as possible without burns. When she finished, she stood up and walked back into the kitchen, opening a big white box that was about as tall as her and taking out a small carton. She also took out a back which had words on the front that spelled "Graded Cheese" and put those items on the counter. She then went back in the big box, grabbing a square white stick, and a jug filled with what looked like milk.

I stopped paying attention as I decided to look out the window. The sun was only barely beginning to show itself on the horizon, giving the sky an orange glow, and making the clouds seem like stripes across the orange sky. It reminded me of my old mentor, and partially saddened me. But I brushed it off as Beth handed me a plate of what she called Scrambled Eggs with Melted Cheese. I didn't really focus on the taste as I put it down as quickly as possible.

"Do that every day and you'll have a good chance of choking yourself" she said, laughing as she ate her food

"Well, I've gotta get that food into my system a while before training starts. Otherwise it slows me down" I replied matter-of-factly

She just laughed and kept eating. When she finished, she took the plated and cups and put them somewhere in the kitchen, then walked in the direction of her room, stopping only to say what she was doing and what I should do.

"I'm going to change into something warmer, but you should put on those B-Ball shorts we got you. They prefer it when you wear shorts" she said, then walked down the hall to her bedroom

While she was in there, I stripped off my pants and put on the shorts. They were soft and light, but still not silk. They were black with orange in some areas, and also quite baggy. The waist band seemed to be made of some kind of elastic band, because they were stretchy yet still clung to my waist as if they were too small. I found them quite interesting. A few minutes later, Beth came out wearing a grey over shirt with a hood, blue pants that seemed to be very tight, and tan boots that seemed quite fluffy.

"You ready to go?" she asked, picking up her purse and grabbing her keys

"Yeah, but do you think we could walk? Driving has a lack of exercise that doesn't feel right" I requested

"I guess it's only a few blocks away" she said, putting her keys down and walking to the door

I smiled and walked with her, holding the door to let her go first. She locked the door behind us and started walking down the sidewalk into the crowd. When we got there, she grabbed ahold of my hand. I looked at her questioningly.

"So we don't get separated. You don't know your way around the city" she said, and then before I could reply she started pulling me along

We walked with a group of people across the street and turned left, then after a couple streets we turned right, and then stopped next to what she called a "Dark Alley."

"Usually I wouldn't do this, but if we cut through this alley we'll be there in no time. But since I've got you, I don't really have to worry about stupid thugs" she said, then began dragging me into the alley

"Are you sure? It's part of the Xing Code not to fight unless it involves training or defending myself" I said, trying to slow her down a little

"Its fine, anyone dumb enough to attack you will have a pipe or something, so you'll be defending yourself" She replied, pulling me along

The alley was long and definitely dark, as we were already half way through and I still couldn't make out the facial features of the people on the other end. I wasn't paying attention until I felt Beth wrap her arms around the one she was holding very tightly. I looked at her and saw her staring ahead, and when I looked a saw some dogs all dressed in black, some holding metal pipes and others holding chains.

"These are the thugs I was talking about" She said, tightening her grip

I nodded and shrugged her off my arm, pushing her back behind me and taking my bow off my back.

"You two lost?" one of them asked

"N-No, we're just h-heading that way" Beth replied, her voice trembling

"We don't want any trouble, just let us by and we can forget about this" I said, getting into a defensive position

"You really aren't in the position to make demands, man" the same one said, motioning behind me

When I turned around, I saw a big bull dog holding Beth's body subdued in one arm and making sure she couldn't scream by holding her mouth in his other. I felt my blood quickly begin to boil as I tried to charge, but was grabbed from behind by a couple other dogs.

"This doll is coming with us, and don't worry. She'll be home, maybe. I'm sure a girl like this will enjoy what we're gonna give her" the bull dog said, beginning to walk away

I wasn't exactly sure what he meant, but as I saw more fear enter Beth's eyes, I knew I had to stop it. I pulled myself free from the grip of the two dogs holding me, and then elbowed them in their guts. They fell to their knees as the third one behind me charged with a pipe. I did a backflip over him and hit him in the head, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious. As I was about to charge, I saw the bull dog holding some weird metal object to Beth's head.

"Yo, Asian! You know what this is? It's a gun, and with one pull of this button your friend is dead. Now you just stay right there, and I might let her live" he said, stepping toward an entrance to another alley inside the one we were already in

I didn't fully believe him, but I didn't dare call his bluff. I stood still as he left my line of sight, and then I heard screaming. I ran to the place they went, and saw him running with Beth in his arm to the other side of the alley. I saw him start firing the gun straight up, clearing away the crowd so he could go through. I took off sprinting after them, pushing through a bunch of people talking into little metal devices. When I made it into the street, I couldn't see them anywhere. I began to panic as I looked frantically, calling out Beth's name as I searched everywhere. I began losing hope, but then remembered that I could find her by searching for her unique life force. As I focused, I searched for her. I could feel her close, to my left. I turned that way but only saw a large building, so I kept searching. She was moving in a spiral, slowly going up. She must be going up the stairs in that building! I ran over to it and entered. It was another apartment building, filled with people. I eventually found a sign pointing to the stairs, and kept running through the crowd of people to the stairs. I pushed through a door and looked up, and could very faintly see them running up, probably 20 stories or more up. Without wasting time, I took to flight going straight up, until I was close. I could hear Beth's crying, but then it suddenly went away with the sound of a door. Out of sight, I landed on the staircase and started searching for her again. She was moving away from me, but at one level. I climbed the stair to the correct floor and opened the door I found. The floor was carpeted and the hallway was filled with doors. I ran down the hallway, sensing where she was. She wasn't moving anymore, so I ran down to where the correct door was and listened to make sure I didn't break down the wrong door.

"If you scream, or struggle, you'll not live through this" a familiar bull dog said, followed by the whimpering of a familiar girl and the ripping of cloths

I instantly kicked the door down, running in and jump-kicking the bull dog off of her. He hit the wall and was painfully knocked out. I looked at Beth to check on her, but instantly averted my gaze as her shirt and whatever she used to cover her chest were both in shreds on the floor, leaving her bare. I quickly took off my shirt and gave it to her, then once again averted my gaze. After a few second, I felt her wrap me in a hug and began crying. I hugged her back comfortingly, trying to process everything that just happened. The hug lasted a few minutes, but was interrupted by a German Shepherd walking in wearing a blue and black uniform and holding a gun aimed at me.

"Step away from the girl, now!" he yelled

At first I thought it was another thug, and was about to attack, but I read the badge he was wearing. New York Police Department, Officer McBride. Knowing I shouldn't attack a law man, I stepped away with my hands on my head.

"Drop the bow" he commanded

I took my bow off my back and dropped it, kicking it over to him.

"Officer, wait! He's the one who just saved me, the rapist is over there!" Beth said, pointing at the unconscious Bull Dog on the ground

The officer glanced between the two of us, seeming doubtful.

"Why is he the one without a shirt then?" he asked

"Because he gave his to me after that dude ripped mine to shreds" She replied, motioning to the pieces of clothing littering the floor

"Well, I guess this guess a hero then" he said, putting the gun in a slot in his belt and walking over to the unconscious dog, putting him in metal wrist chains

I walked over and picked up my bow, putting it on my back. I then noticed a couple more officers walk in, this time two cats. One grey and one tan. The tan one seemed to be the stronger one as he went over and helped carry out the unconscious thug.

"What's the bow?" the remaining officer asked

I again had to think of a good lie, and it took me all of two seconds.

"In her words, it makes me look like a sexy archer" I replied, grinning at Beth

The officer rolled his eyes and walked out following his partners. Beth then hugged me once again, silently this time. After a few more minutes, she broke away and grabbed her purse from where the dog had thrown it, checking that everything was there.

"He didn't take anything, thank god. Do you still wanna go to the MMA place, or can we just go home?" She asked

I was about to reply, but the tan cat walked back in.

"Sir, we'd just like to thank you for your help today. Is there anything you need right now?" he asked

I thought for a moment, wondering what I could use this opportunity for. I finally decided I'd go to the gym, but have her brought home.

"If you could have her brought back to her apartment, I'm heading down to the gym" I replied, then looked at Beth as she mouthed the words "thank you"

"Sure, not a problem" he said, then we all walked back down to the lobby

He led Beth into a blue black and white car, putting her in the back seat. I waved goodbye as she turned the corner. I then walked back into the alley and through it towards the place where she said the gym was. When I got back into the public, I saw a sign across the street that said "Johnson MMA Training Gym", so I flew over the cars and landed on the sidewalk. I walked in and instantly realized how hot they had it in there. I was seriously glad I was no longer wearing a shirt. I looked around for somewhere to sign up, or do something so I could be trained. I saw a few people in line leading up to a desk, which had a sign on it that said "Registration/Sign In," so I walked over and stood in line. It didn't take long to get to the front, where a hair was signing people in.

"Name please" she said

"Fisk" I replied

"Full name please" she restated

"That is my full name" I replied

"Sir, we need a last name to find out who you'll be training with today" She clarified

"I don't have a last name, I'm here to sign up to be trained" I said, getting slightly worried

"Ok, sugar. Let's see, we'll just put Fisk as your last name, OK? Now, what days best suit you?" She asked

"Every day would be nice" I replied, surprising her

"You sure about that? Training here can wear a person down" she asked

"Yes"

"Alright, sir, it's your choice. You're lucky; we have a new trainer starting today who has no clients yet. He can start you right now, if you like" she said, causing me to smile and nod

"Ok, give him this when he finds you. Just go wait over by the octagon" she said, handing me a piece of paper and sending me to a big cage with eight sides

I waited for barely any time before what looked like another otter like the one from the boat I arrived in.

"You must be Fisk. I'm Ronny, and I'll be your trainer" he said, taking my hand and shaking it

"That's me. The lady at the front desk told me to give this to you" I said, handing him the piece of paper

He took the paper and looked it over, eyes going wide as he saw the schedule.

"Whoa, looks like I got you every week day. You're a serious trainee aren't you?" he asked

"Wait a minute, I wanted everyday" I replied, taking the piece of paper back and looking it over

"Dude, we aren't open on weekends. That's worker personal time" he said, putting on some weird gloves, "You can leave that paper and the…bow, on the bench there. Also, lose the shoes and socks, don't need em'"

I happily complied, taking the socks and shoes off first and letting the air hit my feet. I then took off my bow and placed it with my shoes on the bench.

"Alright, first, we're gonna see how strong you are. Brute strength won't win it, but it sure as hell helps" he said, leading me over so a big cylinder-shaped bag hanging from a chain attached to the ceiling. "Just punch this thing as hard as you can, and the force of the blow will show up here on this screen" he said, showing me a little electronic screen like the one at Beth's place

I nodded and walked up to the bag, preparing to punch. As I focused my power into the punch, I could feel energy rushing to all the muscles controlling my arm. As I punched, the bag went flying nearly to the wall, but the chain just caused it to swing really high. I took my attention off the bag to look at the screen, but paid for the mistake in about two seconds. The bag swung back at me and knocked me down painfully, causing Ronny to start laughing as he helped me up.

"Rookie mistake. But that was an impressive hit. If I ever get you a match, you'll need to not hit so hard" he said, then brought me into the big octagon. "I'm gonna teach you the basics of MMA first. Stance and defense are your best friends" he said, showing me the correct stance, which I mimicked

All the stance was was holding your hands in front of your face balled into fists. He then showed me multiple maneuvers for dodging, blocking, and counter attacking. By the time we were done and I pre-paid for the month, it was getting dark out and was raining. I walked back to the Apartment in the rain, knocking on the door for entry. Beth opened it and let me in, handing me a shirt to put on. I denied it at first, entering the bathroom so I could take off my clothes and dry them off. When I and my clothes were dry, I put them back on and walked out, putting the shirt on that she me. We then sat on the couch, her sitting very close to me, leaning against my shoulder.

"How you holding up?" I asked

"Fine…I don't know how to thank you for helping me like that" she said, wrapping her arms around the one she was leaning against

"Don't thank me for anything. It's the Xing Code to protect those we care about. Friends, family, and everything in between. Strength, Honor, Glory, Mercy…these are the ways of the Xing. Uphold the weak and strike down the wicked to the last breath and bring fourth the light" I replied, quoting the Code

"You care about me?" she asked, looking me directly in the eyes

"Of course…your my friend, right?" I answered, staring right back. Her expression turned sad

"Oh" she said, taking her gaze off me and looking down

"What's wrong?" I asked

"I…I was hoping you'd think of me as more…" she replied, clearly growing sad

I thought about that for a minute or two. More than just a friend? Does she speak of companionship, or just very close friends? In this area, I was clueless.

"What do you mean by 'more'?" I asked

"I mean like I was hoping you might…like me" she replied, looking at me again

"I do like you. That's how we're friends" I replied, causing her to slightly smile

"I like that pureness of heart you have, but it does make you quite dumb" She said, then quickly leaned in and pressed her lips to mine

I was surprised, eyes going wide and looking down at her face. Her eyes were closed as she lingered in that spot, but I didn't return the kiss. I lost count of how long she was there, but when she finally broke away, her eyes went wide and she apologized before running down the hall to her bedroom. What was that all about? I really wasn't sure, but I knew that somehow she was really upset over what she just did. I walked the same direction she'd gone until I reached her door, and then listened. She was talking to someone, and obviously crying.

"But he didn't even kiss back! I should've known he didn't like me" She said, followed by some extremely quiet noises

"Jenny, how can I look at him again? That was a dumb ass move! I might as well have stripped naked and asked him if he wanted to!" she yelled into the phone, surprising me

I decided I didn't want to hear the rest, so I walked back to the front room and took off my shirt, leaving my shorts on. I then lay down on the couch and did my best to sleep, while still thinking a lot. Eventually I fell asleep, but it only felt like mere moments as I woke to the sound of an ear-piercing scream coming from Beth's room. I instantly grabbed my bow and ran down the hall, bursting into the room with bow aimed and string drawn. I moved my aim around the room, looking for whatever caused her to scream, but found nothing.

"What'd you see?" I asked, still looking around

"Nothing, sorry. It was just a bad dream…about that guy" She replied, shifting in her bed

"Oh, ok…I guess I can just say goodnight then" I said, lowering my bow and walking towards the door

"WAIT!" she exclaimed, getting me to turn around, "Can you stay…please?" she asked

I thought for a moment, and then nodded, going over and sitting on the floor by the bed. I wasn't able to fully sit though, as I felt a pair of hands grab me and pull me up onto the bed.

"I mean here" She said, moving the blankets aside as she forced me to lie down

"You sure?" I asked

"Positive…I need to feel protected" She said, covering us with the sheets and laying her head on my chest

We were silent from then, as only our breathing could be heard. Eventually hers slowed to a steady rhythm, sleeping peacefully. I stayed awake for a while, contemplating the situation at hand. It was gonna be quite difficult leaving her if she was still like this by the time I left. I decided to think about it after training was over tomorrow. I slowly drifted into a dreamless sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 7

I woke the next morning in the exact same position. Beth was draped across my chest, and my arms were wrapped around her to make sure she remained feeling protected. The only thing that had changed was the blanket had been moved off of us, so I could see what she was…or otherwise wasn't wearing. She was in nothing save for a skimpy night shirt and pair of panties, her tail sticking out the back. I moved from the bed, careful not to wake her as I lay her back down on the bed. I then grabbed my bow from the table beside the bed, careful to not make any noise, and then walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind me. I walked down the hall into the living room, where I found my pack. I opened it and dug through it, finding and pulling out the painting Niki made for me. I sat on the couch with it in hand, just staring at the younger version of myself. It looked like the ten-year-old version of me, sitting aside the nine year-old version of Niki. I sighed, growing sad as I realized just how much I missed home.

"Is that your girlfriend?" I heard behind me, causing me to jump

"Don't do that…it's not good to scare people like me. But no, she's not…she's just a really good friend" I replied, putting the picture away

"You miss home, don't you?" she asked, sitting down next to me

"A lot…but I can't go back before I master MMA. But training apparently won't resume until Monday, given that it's now the weekend" I replied, leaning back

It was silent for a while, as if we were both unable to speak. It lasted for only a few moments, but it seemed like an eternity. She finally spoke up and broke the unending silence.

"You know what? You need a day out…just to enjoy America while you can. I'll call my friends and we can plan out the day" She said, and before I could argue she was already on her way down the hall

I figured she was most likely right. A day to get my mind on positive things might be a good thing, so I grabbed a clean pair of boxers, black pants, and a green shirt with a surfer on the front. It, like all my shirts, was tight against my muscular body. Just as I buttoned the pants, Beth walked back in talking on the phone.

"Yeah, he's hot, but he seems distant…something that requires more than just liquor and a night in bed with me, now stop being a pervert, Roy. Get Mag and meet us in Times Square. He needs to get out and have a little fun. I know its short notice, but I've talked to her about him, and she'd want to meet him in person. Just…just do it! I'll give you five bucks if she says no" she said into the phone, then hung up and put it in her pocket

"What was that all about?" I asked, putting on my shoes

"Just getting some of my friends to show up. It's gonna be quite cold for the next week, followed by a bit of snow. So while we're out we can get you some winter gear" She replied, sitting down and putting her own shoes on

"OK, so when do we leave?" I asked, placing my bow over my shoulders

"Now, actually. First we're gonna head to IHop for breakfast, and then the mall for a couple jackets for you. Then we'll come back here to drop it off and head down to the music store to get you an instrument to learn to play. Then we'll come back here to start learning" She replied, standing up and grabbing her purse and keys

"Ok, just a second. I'm low on cash after the past spending, so I've got to make more" I replied, taking my bow off my shoulder and aiming it at the couch

"Hey, don't blow up my couch!" she yelled as I shot a Xing arrow and the room lit up

When the glow faded, on the couch lay two small stacks of $20 bills and $50 bills. I picked them up and handed them to Beth as she stared wide eyed.

"Don't do that trick in public…cuz people will start using you to make major withdrawals" She said, putting the money into her purse

"Noted" I replied while placing putting my bow back around my shoulders

From there we left. We drove for a few minutes before parking in a random spot. She said from there we were walking since traffic would be terrible in the area we were going. As we walked, she locked herself around my arm. She was lightly trembling, watching wearily every time some big dude walked by. I knew she was scared thinking about what happened the preceding day, and thought it a good idea to try and comfort her. I pulled my arm free from her grip and wrapped it around her back, whispering as I told her not to worry, and that I would protect her. As we entered an extremely crowded area, I held on to her tighter for reassurance that I would not let anyone take her. After a few more minutes of walking through that area, she broke away from me and ran over to a couple of people. A Hair and a small cat, a little smaller than Beth. Beth wrapped the other cat in a hug, and then hugged the hair, which was slightly taller than her. I jogged through the crowd to get to them.

"You must be Fisk! I'm Roy" the hair said as he reached out and shook my hand

He was a tiny bit shorter than me, his plush fur completely black with tan surrounding one eye. The cat, who I assumed was Mag as she whispered things back and forth, was completely tan all over. After they finished whispering, Mag walked over to me and hugged me for reasons unknown.

"Thanks for saving her yesterday. My brothers on the police force, and I told him about you. He says if it's true, then they could use someone like you on the force" She said, breaking away from the hug

"No problem, but no thanks. I wouldn't be able to be there on demand" I replied, crossing my arms, "Now I'm starving. Can we get some food?"

They all laughed at what I said. Then I was grabbed on either side by the two cats and lead into a building. I saw a lot of tables and in front of it all was a lady in blue and white.

"How many in your party?" She asked

"Four, and a booth if possible" Beth replied

The lady nodded and led us to a booth in the back corner. I took note that a bunch of people in a table were staring at me. They were all wearing leather vests and weird hats, along with old style sun glasses, and they were also all very large. I acted like I didn't notice as I sat down next to Mag on one side while Beth and Roy sat across from us. I picked up what was called the Menu and looked through it. Pictures of Pancakes, French toast, and Eggs. When another lady, a tan dog, walked up to the booth, she had a pen and pad of paper in hand.

"Can I get Ya'all somthin to drink?" She asked in a country-girl accent

"Yeah, I'll take a Hot Chocolate" Roy said

"Same here" Beth agreed, followed by another agreement from Mag

"Make that four" I said, following the chain of people saying that

When she left, I went back to browsing the Menu, searching for something that looked good. I eventually settled on the Strawberry-Banana Pancakes. I put my Menu down and listening to the conversation the three of them were having.

"This dude was strong, and he really wanted some of this. He dragged me up twenty or so floors before pulling me into a room, where he just ripped off my shirt and bra, then held a knife to my throat. He told me not to make any noise, or he'd kill me, and just as I was about to give up hope, the door breaks down and Fisk takes this guy out with one kick! Then the cops came in and tried to arrest Fisk, but lucky for him I told them who to arrest" Beth said, telling the story of her near rape

"Sounds like Fisk is quite strong" Roy said, and then I felt Mag start feeling my bicep

"Very strong…he feels like he's been chiseled out of marble!" she said

"Stop it…I don't like to show off" I said quietly as I pulled my arms free

"And not to mention these…strange abilities he has" Beth said

"He's bigger than Brian?!" Mag asked in a rather loud voice

"What? No! Well, not like I know anyways…quit being so slutty!" Beth yelled, grabbing the attention of the table of big dudes in leather

"OK, I think we should change the subject, before we end up in another situation like yesterday" I said, blushing underneath my black fur

Sorry…his powers are beyond explanation. He'd need to show you like he showed me when the time comes. So, what are your guy's plans for the summer?" Beth asked

"We were planning to go camping out in the wild for a month, but we're short on funds for supplies" Roy replied just as the waitress returned with four steaming cups

"Four hot chocolates, ready to drink! Ya'all ready to order, or do ya need a spill more time?" She asked

"I'll have the Loaded Bacon and Potato Soup and a cheeseburger, no unions, mustard, or lettuce" Roy said, and the waitress wrote it down

"How bout you, sugar?" She asked, looking at Beth

"All you can eat buttermilk Pancakes, please. Add whipped cream" she replied, handing the waitress her and Roy's menus

"And what can I get you sweaty pie?" She asked, now looking at Mag

"French toast, bacon on the sides. I take me eggs scrambled with a hint a pepper" she replied

"Alrighty then…and how bout you hon?" She asked, now looking at me

"The strawberry-banana pancakes" I replied

"And how do you take your eggs?" she asked

"Like her's" I replied, motioning to Mag and hoping I'd like them that way, not knowing how to explain how I like my eggs

"Alright. It'll be a while I reckon before your food gets here, so enjoy the chocolate" she said, then left with the menus

"So, about those funds," Beth said, "if you let us tag along, I'm sure we could help out with the funds"

"That would be amazing, but then with you guys the needed money would double" Roy replied

"Money is no issue with us anymore. Give us a location, date, time, and price, and we'll handle it. But you get to pay for breakfast" She said, smirking at him

"Thanks Beth! You're the best!" Mag said as she leaned over the table and hugged Beth

"Sure thing, Mag. Watch your tits before the end up in my drink" Beth replied, making Mag and Roy laugh

We were silent from there, each of us drinking our hot chocolate. I copied Roy and ate the white stuff on top called Whipped Cream and then drank the chocolate. It was hot, but it didn't bother me. I drank until it was gone, just in time for the first plates to arrive.

"Alright, we've got a soup and burger, and some all-you-can-eat pancakes, for these two darlings. Yours will be out shortly" she said, and then walked off

We still remained silent, two of us, that being Beth and Roy, already eating. I could feel a pair of eyes on me…Mag's eyes to be specific. I didn't look, but I knew she was staring. It was kinda hard to miss, since she seemed to be making no attempt to hide it. When her's and my food arrived, we ate quickly. I at first didn't exactly know what to do with the silver wear placed in front of me, but after once again copying Roy, I figured it out. After we ate, we all went to our respective vehicles and drove to the same mall where we originally got my cloths. This time though, I was sent with Roy to go to the music store to start looking at instruments to get a feel for what I would like before going to a better music store.

"So, how much do you know about being a musician?" Roy asked as we walked through the mall

"Nothing whatsoever" I replied

"Well, we've got a place to start, I guess" he replied as he led me into a music store

As we walked in, I saw many things alien to my own perception of instruments. Under a sign labeled "Concussion" was a series of large things called drums. There must've been a thousand different kinds! I moved on from that area and looked at a section labeled "Strings". This area grabbed my attention, as I noticed some items that looked similar to some instruments back in China. I walked over and picked up an instrument that was behind a sign that said "Acoustic Guitars" and sat on a small stool. The guitar was beautiful…the strings were all metal wires and the wood was a darker color. As I held it the way a picture depicted, it seemed to just fit in my arms, but I noticed a flaw. The head "Neck" of the instrument was too short, so I put it back and continued looking in that section. But my time of searching seemed much too short as Roy walked over and said that the girls were done, so we needed to go.

"Alright" I replied, sounding slightly disappointed

We walked back out to the cars, putting the bags in the trunks and getting back in the front seats. This time I rode with Mag as Roy rode in Beth's car. We drove in silence, music playing on the radio. She said that it was her favorite artist playing, Phil Collins. The song playing was called Look Through My Eyes. It was actually quite good, so I noted the artist. When we got back to the apartments, Roy and I were told to wait outside while they brought the cloths inside.

"So, you're like…a really strong and really fast fighter, huh?" he asked, stepping closer to me

"More or less, yeah" I replied

"Dodge this!" he yelled as he threw a punch at my face

To dodge I slightly leaned to the side, then to get my point across I grabbed his arm and spun, bringing my elbow within a centimeter of his face, leaving him stunned.

"Ok, I think I'm a believer now" he said, signaling me to let go

Just as I did, Beth and Mag walked out.

"Ok, let's head down to the music store. It's only a block away, so we can walk" Beth said, starting her way down the block

"I think I know what I want" I said as I jogged up next to her, "a guitar"

"Sweet! That way, once you learn, we can play together and stuff" She said, again latching on to my arm as we entered a crowded area

"You play?" I asked

"Yeah, just not in front of people unless it's a performance I've been practicing for a while" She replied

"I see…well, then maybe we could play together" I said, smiling

"Maybe even a duet. How's your singing?" she asked

"Don't know…never tried" I answered, then adjusted my bow so I didn't have to hold it on my shoulder

As we broke free of the crowd, I saw the music store up ahead. It was on a corner of a block, and didn't seem to be very popular. As we walked in, I saw an amazing collection of guitars right up front. I walked over instantly with Beth still in tow. I walked over and began inspecting the acoustic guitars, trying to find one that looked similar to the one I saw at the mall.

"This one's a good brand" Beth said, showing me a light tan Guitar with gold highlights along the rims

"Let me see" I said, taking it in hand

It was around the same weight, and seemed to be the best there was in the arsenal of musical items. I decided it'd work, so I agreed with her. After buying it, a pic, a spare set of strings, and a mechanical tuner, we walked back to the apartments. After saying goodbye to Roy and Mag, we walked inside and I took the guitar out of its case while Beth went to her room to grab hers. When she returned, she asked if I'd taken any likings to any artists yet.

"Yeah, Phil Collins seems interesting" I replied

"Ugh, Mag…I'm not able to help you with that one. How about this" she said, and then started playing notes on her guitar. "Things swiftly come and go, I'm dreaming of her. She's seeing other guys, emotions a-stir. The sun is gone…the nights are long…and I am left while the tears fall. Did you think that I would cry-y, on the phone? Do you know what it feels Li-ike, being alone? I'll find someone kneeeeew. Swing swing swing from the tables of, my heart is crushed by a former love. Can…you…help…me…find a way to carry on again" She sang, then stopped

"Sounds good. You write that?" I asked

"No, but it's by one of my favorite bands. Swing Swing by The All American Rejects" She replied, sitting beside me and helping me tune my guitar

She tuned it and then grabbed her guitar and slung the strap over her head. I removed my bow and mimicked what she did.

"Let's start with something simple. This is from a video game I used to play, and always wanted to perform it, but never got the guts. It's fairly simple…it's called Guide You Home, and the artists name I can't pronounce. It's a good start cuz it's a two part duet, so we can easily integrate the separate parts. I know both, so I can teach you the boy's part. Do what I do" she said, putting her fingers in select frets

As she did that, I put my fingers in the same places, and then copied her as she began to strum. Eventually I got the gist of playing the guitar, and she said I was quite the prodigy because I was getting it so quickly. The following weeks were hard. Winter turned to spring and I became a decent guitar player. My MMA skills grew and I learned how to better control my strength after Ronny showed me the training. I learned the play multiple songs chosen by Beth, but rarely found time to practice and Phil Collins songs. I decided to first learn Look Through My Eyes, and then move on to the harder songs. I went on YouTube and searched for a tutorial, soon finding one. Beth was out with her new boyfriend so I had time to practice on my own, and since it was Saturday I couldn't go to the gym. I began the tutorial and began to play the song. After learning the first verse, I heard the familiar sound of a key in the lock. When Beth walked in carrying three large bags of groceries, I paused my video to go help her, grabbing two of the three bags and walking into the kitchen.

"Thanks Fisk, I was about to drop those" she said

"No problem" I replied, then went with her to go sit on the couch

"So, while I was out with Chase I saw a flyer. In Times Square, three months from now, there will be a public talent show…or I guess competition. I thought maybe we could both compete, together or apart doesn't matter. I think it'd be fun" She said

"Sounds like it, but what are we competing for?" I asked

"$100 and a nice instrument of our choice" she replied

"Sounds good…but would you prefer to do a duet or compete against each other?" I asked

"Against actually. It'd give us better odds of winning if we had two performances instead of one" she replied

"Alright then, I'll play and sing this song by Phil Collins I just started learning. On a second topic, how are the preparations for the camping trip going?" I asked

"Fairly well…we just need tents, sleeping bags, and the non-perishable foods. The rest we've got" she replied

"Cool. It's still early, so I'm gonna go for a jog" I said, taking off my pants and putting on my shorts

She's seen me in my boxers on multiple occasions, and same with me to her, so we're comfortable changing in front of each other. When my shorts were on, I removed my bow and placed it with my stuff before taking off my shirt.

"I'll be back in a while. If I'm late, don't wait for me. Just make dinner" I said while putting on my recently bought New Balance running shoes

"OK" she replied as I walked to the door

"See you later" I said

"Later"

With that I left, closing the door behind me. I then started jogging, going to Central Park so I could jog in peace. When I arrived, I began sprinting as to get more out of the jog. I passed by multiple other joggers as I kept going, but I wasn't yet tired. My years of training built up my stamina exponentially, so it barely takes any energy to sprint full speed for a half hour. I lapped around the park what must have been twenty or thirty times at full speed before that time was met, and I started to get slightly tired. But it still wasn't enough, I needed to work out more. I then took to flight, which I hadn't done in almost a month, and flew high above the park. Once I was a few stories high, I stopped and entered a free fall. As I neared the tree line, I adjusted my angle so as I saw the first branch, I grabbed it. I swung from branch to branch, dodging the dangerous ones at a speed that would've impressed even Sky. This practice was harder than the sprinting by far, especially as I started needing to break certain branches in order to avoid being impaled. After thirty minutes, I was too tired to continue these kinds of exertions, so I went back to sprinting. After a few more laps, I decided it was good enough for today, so I went back home. When I walked in, I saw that Beth was making dinner. I could hear items sizzling on the stove.

"What you making?" I asked

"Pork Steak with seasoned potatoes" she replied

"Sounds good" I said, then sat on the couch and watched the TV

"It's an MMA fight. I figured I'd watch some and prepare, since you'll probably end up in one" she said

I watched as the fight went on, and it was brutal. Two large dogs were going at it, punching each other in the gut and face, and the match ended when one was knocked out. I watched as the other one went to a corner of the octagon and some people started washing him off. His fur was stained with blood and his left eye was nearly swollen shut. The dog that lost was carried off on a cart to some place unknown, while the announcer was screaming into his microphone.

"And the rookie has done it! He's beaten the champ, through three brutal rounds of being beaten down, John Rock has beaten the American MMA Champion! The crowds here are going crazy, and I don't believe what I've just seen, folks. Here in New Jersey, the MMA Light Weight Champion has just lost his title to what can only be described as a lucky punch from a rookie!" he yelled

"That was brutal…if I'm ever in one of these fights I'll just knock out my opponent fast before it gets too bloody" I said as Beth sat down beside me and handed me a plate

"Yeah, and they're light-weight fighters. Just wait till they start the heavy-weights" She said

I nodded and began eating my food, still watching the fight.

"Well, folks, that was a light weight clash that will go down in MMA history. Now let's move on to the heavy-weights. Today we've got upstart Kent Manning coming through the south corridor," The announcer said as a heavy metal song started playing and a large Pit Bull started walking out of a hallway, doing some odd dance moves and fighting the air as he went into the octagon and over to his side, "And our more well-known Heavy Weight Champ, Hunter 'The Shredder' Johnson coming from the north corridor, and he looks fired up. I don't think he plans to go out like the last champ"

I watched as a huge looking Lion walked calmly to his position in the ring as a rap song was playing.

"They call him The Shredder because he's known to leave his opponents shredded. He makes use of his claws" Beth said as we both watched intently at the screen

"Well, Kent better do his best not to block. If he keeps his distance, and waits till an opening shows up, he'll have a better chance at winning" I replied

But he did exactly opposite what I said. Kent advanced on Hunter, closing any distance he had. He ran up to Hunter and jumped, trying to land a knee to Hunters face, but had no such luck. With impressive speed, I watched as Hunter used his claws to grab Kent's shin and pull him to the ground, then hit him with a devastating uppercut which sent him flying back, and knocking him out in the process.

"In one match that lasted less than a minute, Hunter didn't even have time to live up to his name, The Shredder has knocked out young upstart Kent Manning with a jaw-shattering uppercut!" the announcer yelled

"That's what I'm gonna aim to do. Knock out before things get brutal" I said

"Good plan, but what happens if you face him?" She asked

"I doubt it. I've never been in a fight before, what are the odds of me fighting the champion?" I asked in reply

"Good point, but it isn't totally out of question. Let me put on this movie where it actually did happen on some dudes first real match. He'd had a bunch before, but none as big as big as a match like this that airs on TV" Beth said as she got up and went over to her bookshelf that was loaded with movies

She grabbed a movie titled "Here Comes the Boom" and put the disc in her player, then switched the TV to the DVD player. After sitting beside me and hitting play, we sat in silence. The movie was quite funny in some areas, and also quite moving in others. Near the end, Beth fell asleep and fell down to where she was using my lap as a pillow. When the movie ended, it was around nine, so I decided not to wake her and just sleep there. My sleep was not pleasant, though. It was only glimpses, but through them were pieces of the past, and some looks into what could only be the future. In the past, I saw the war. Sky, Biyu, the five, Po, Niki's parents, Shifu, and the Xing prophecy fulfilled were all I saw of the past. As we entered the future, I saw the prophecy again.

 _In one final conflict, two breaths turned one through the sorrow of one and the dying breath of another, the darkness shall perish, and the light be brung_

I woke with a start, grabbing my bow in my own fear as my heart was racing. I pulled back the string and aimed it at the door, where I heard a knock. I also saw Beth holding her upper arm and looking at me in fear. Upon closer inspection, I saw blood seeping through the space in between her fingers. At first I was wondering what happened, but I then realized that my claws were extended and my left ones had blood on them.

"Did I do that?" I asked, hopeful that I was wrong. She nodded

I dropped my bow to the ground rushed to her side, retracting my claws before inspecting the damage I caused. It was deep, but not too deep. I closed my eyes and focused, letting my Xing Energy heal Beth's wounds. When I opened my eyes, I saw her cuts seal, and the fur grow back. I tried not to show my guilt, but failed as a few tears fell from my eyes and I wrapped her in a hug, which she gladly returned. I was still only wearing my shorts, so it felt somewhat soothing.

"I'm sorry, Beth. I don't know what happened…I was dreaming and I…I'm so sorry" I said

"It's fine, you just had a nightmare…you didn't mean to hurt me. And you healed me, so it's all better" she replied, squeezing me tighter

After a few minutes, we heard another knock on the door, so Beth broke away to go answer while I put a shirt on. When I looked, she was talking at the door with Chase, her boyfriend.

"Yeah, he accidentally cut me, but it's not even noticeable" she said

"Alright, just checking. I heard quite the conversation while waiting at the door" he said, looking at me

"I felt really guilty…harming my friends is something I actively try to avoid" I replied, walking over to the kitchen carrying last night's dishes, though out of sight I was still able to hear what they were saying

"I still don't like him living here. What if he tries to make a move on you?" Chase asked

"He won't, he's way too young for me and secretly has his heart set on a girl back in China" Beth replied

"Well, good, cuz you all mine!" I heard, followed by giggling and the sound of them knocking into random objects

It was no mystery what they were doing, but as I saw them come into view, I saw how into it they were going.

"Get a room, I'm making breakfast here" I said as I got out eggs

After eating breakfast with Chase, I headed down to the gym with $100 and my bow. When I arrived, I saw that Ronny was on the phone talking to someone. He seemed very excited as he ran out to meet me. I understood why as he told me.

"I just got you a public fight, this Friday in the New Jersey MMA ring!" he exclaimed

I was also excited. I thanked him what must have been a million times before we actually started training. He put me in the ring with another person in the gym so I could get some experience actually fighting. My opponent was a Chimp, about a half inch taller than me and equally muscled. When Ronny rang the bell, the Chimp charged. He tried to hit me with a knee to the face like in the fight last night, so I ducked and went underneath him, causing him to slam into the chain fence that was the border of the ring. When he turned around, I put up my hands and blocked all the punches he sent at me. Eventually he left himself open, so I send a punch to the face, knocking him backwards. Because it was only training, I didn't punch very hard, or move too fast. At the end of the day I'd beaten everyone in the gym except the trainers, who didn't fight, and had gone home proud of myself. I fell asleep that night contempt and dreamless…


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 8

The next couple days were 100% preparation for my fight. I used my powers to change my shorts from black to radiant gold, and cut my hair to be slightly shorter. I fought all the trainers in the gym, beating all but three since I couldn't use any form of martial arts but MMA. When Friday finally rolled along, I had to wake up earlier than usual. 5 AM sharp was when I woke up. As I opened my eyes, I couldn't help but roll back over and nearly doze off again, but I was quickly woken up by water being splashed on my head.

"Hey!" I yelled as I quickly got up from the couch

"No sleeping, you have a big fight today!" Beth said excitedly, "Now go shower while I get breakfast ready!"

I did as commanded and walked over to the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the hallway before walking in. I placed my towel on the counter and closed the door behind me, locking it. I then opened the curtain and turned the handle to turn on the water, making sure it was nice and hot. When it was ready, I stripped from my pajama pants and boxers and stepped in, letting the water properly soak into my fur before grabbing the shampoo and lathering my body and head. Once I'd rinsed the shampoo out, I washed in some conditioner to soften my body so my opponent couldn't grab ahold of me. Once I was clean, I turned off the water and used my towel as a mat. I placed it across the ground so I wouldn't slip before stepping out and heating up my body, quickly evaporating the water. I then took the towel off the ground and wrapped it around my waist tightly to ensure it didn't fall. After I was covered, I walked out to the living room and saw that Beth wasn't looking as she cooked eggs, sausage, bacon, and toast. I took the opportunity to quickly put on a clean pair of boxers and my shorts.

"Perfect timing goldy" Beth said as she brought a plate-or more like tray-of food

"Think I'll have enough food there?" I asked sarcastically

"I didn't have any more bacon" she replied, making us both laugh as she handed me the plate

I quickly wolfed down the food, and then went into the kitchen for a glass of milk. It was just as I put the milk back in the fridge when a knock was heard at the front door. I knew who it was without even looking and felt the butterflies build in my stomach.

"Come in" I yelled, followed by the door opening and Ronny walking in

"Drink that fast, we gotta leave in five minutes" he said, then screamed in pain as his otter-tail was crushed in the door, "Damn, I hate the doors that close themselves!" he yelled, making us laugh as I chugged my small glass of milk

I put the glass in the sink and ran over to grab a plan white t-shirt. I put it on along with my running shoes and as a trio we all walked out. My jaw dropped as I saw that Ronny had a rented Limo waiting for us outside.

"If you win this fight, then this Limo will pay for itself" he said as he opened the door and let Beth and I crawl in

We all took a seat beside each other and the Limo started off driving. It took a few minutes to get out of the city, but the close we got the more my balls seemed to be in my toes. My blood was running cold as we drove across the state border into New Jersey. The entire drive took around an hour, none of us able to sleep through it either. The entire time Ronny was giving me stats on my opponent and how the fight was gonna go down.

"His name is Ricardo Rodriquez, and he's not someone to laugh at. He's been in over 50 underground fights like this one, and never lost. None of his opponents have ever made it through the first round. He goes for one punch knock-outs every time, so avoid those swings. This fight is going to be on the radio, but not live TV. It'll be on YouTube for sure afterwards, but unless the video goes crazy, then it won't go to TV. Your song will be I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin. Wait for them to call your name, and then go out calmly. Intimidate him before he even gets a close up look, then-" I interrupted him

"Don't worry, I know what to do. For the first round I'll just analyze his moves while warming up a bit, then go for the kill in round two. I'll be fine, and this Limo is gonna pay for itself. Count on it" I said, giving him a "thumbs up" as we finally drove into the arena

"Good boy…now Beth, you're in charge of the stool and water. I'll take care of any injuries he sustains" Ronny said, then we all went silent

As we exited the Limo, we were silenced by the sight. At the end of our corridor was an enormous arena, filled with four different stadiums packed with people. At the center of it all was the octagon, ready to be used. We went to the place we were to start and Ronny handed me my mouth guard. Then the announcer began his routine.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm coming to you live from New Jersey state arena where we are having an amazing Heavy-Weight fight. Young fighter Fisk Thompson will be making his MMA debut against fifty-time undefeated New Jersey state champion Ricardo Rodriquez in a battle scheduled for three rounds, if the newcomer survives that long. The champs Jersey State Belt is not on the line tonight since his opponent is visiting here from the big apple, New York City" the announcer said, followed by the applause of the crowd

"Thompson?" I asked as I looked at Ronny

"They needed a last name, so I made one up" he replied without taking his gaze off the crowd

"Now ladies and gentlemen, it's time to get started! Coming from the north corner, we've got our champ, Ricardo Rodriquez!" he yelled into the mic. as a heavy metal song began playing and Ricardo ran into view, doing a lap around the ring before going inside and to his corner

"And now, making his MMA Debut, please welcome visitor Fisk Thompson!" he yelled, and I began walking out as my song began playing

I walked calmly and put a look of determination on my face as I walked out into view, keeping my eyes directed forward. Ronny and Beth were both directly behind me. As we walked, my song continued to play and I kept looking forward, looking hard on the outside but on the inside I was very nervous. When we got to the gate, I took off my shirt and shoes, handing them to Beth before walking into the ring. My heart stopped as I got to my corner and heard the gate close. No escape now, so I better be ready for a serious fight. Then the referee walked from his corner into the center of the ring.

"Fighter ready?" he asked pointing at my opponent, who I just now realized was a Husky, and he nodded while putting his hands up

"Fighter ready?" he asked, pointing at me. I nodded and put my hands up

He gave someone a thumbs-up and ran back to his corner, then I heard the bell. My opponent quickly advanced, throwing a flurry of punches at my head while the announcer called out everything that was happening. To dodge, I leaned to both my sides, then ducked as he sent a spin kick to my head. He continued his attacks, unable to land a blow. For a normal person his was pretty fast, but to me he seemed quite slow. As he continued only aiming at my head, I continued to dodge. Eventually he started aiming at my torso and my head, so dodging got a bit harder. I took a step back from him so I could check how much time we had left in the round. Fifteen seconds left, I should be able to land a good punch at the end. As he continued his advance, I backed up, counting down the seconds. On the five second mark, he went for a final desperate hit to my face, but I ducked and hit him with a devastating blow to the stomach. He stumbled back, coughing and breathing hard, until the bell rang, at which point we both went back to our corners.

"I don't believe it, folks! In all those attacks, our champ couldn't land a single blow to the newcomer, and the only blow landed in the entire round was a devastating gut blow made by newcomer Fisk Thompson, and this young fighter had managed to be the first of his opponents to ever get through round one!" the announcer said

"Good job, Fisk. Now end the next round quickly and hopefully painlessly" Ronny said as he dabbed some sweat off my head

"No problem" I replied, taking a sip from my water and standing up from my stool

They left the ring at the same time as his helpers, and then the referee did the same thing as before, before the bell rang again. This time I advanced, running up to him and acting like I was gonna try and knee his face. He fell for the trick and went to duck, and I followed his movement. I slid down on my knees and send my fist into his head, sliding underneath him as he fell to the ground unconscious. I stood up as the crowd went silent. After a few moments, they began to cheer my name.

"I don't believe it, I just do not believe it! Newcomer Fisk Thompson has won his first fight against our undefeated champ Ricardo Rodriquez by a knock out! Tonight folks, in a fight scheduled for three rounds, it has ended is less than half that time!" the announcer screamed into his microphone

Once out of the ring, Ronny led me back to where the Limo was parked.

"That was amazing, Fisk!" Beth said, hugging me

"Just for that, dinners on me! We just gotta wait for the money to be delivered here" Ronny said

We waited in silence for what seemed like an eternity before something actually happened, but what did happen wasn't the most pleasant. I saw a very familiar looking Husky emerge from the darkness of the corridor in front of us, a look of anger on his face. He stopped about three feet from us, and just stood there for a minute.

"You listen carefully, Thompson…that was the first fight I ever lost, and mark my words you'll regret making me look like a weakling!" he finally yelled

"Maybe you should just get a little better" Beth interjected, causing me to cringe

"You know what missy, you shut up!" he yelled and pulled a gun out from the back of his shorts and aiming it at Beth

I moved quickly for my bow, but my blood ran cold as I realized that it wasn't on my back. I'd left it at home! I extended my hand at him, trying to calm him down while slowly moving towards him.

"Whoa whoa, just calm down. We don't want any trouble. I know your upset, but let's not do anything rash" I said

"Stay there and don't move! Never before have I faced such embarrassment, and I won't take it lightly. But no, I won't shoot you…you only hit me twice, and I barely felt any physical pain, but mental…of that I'll make your mind burn with pain!" he finished, then set his sights once again on Beth

Knowing I had but moments to react, I charged. He aimed the gun at me but I knocked it aside and went to hit his head, but he ducked underneath it and jabbed my ribs with a painful attack. It actually hurt enough to stun me, with which opportunity he used to step back and aim the gun at me.

"FISK NO!" I heard, followed by the sound of a gun firing off

I jumped, but realized that I wasn't hit by a bullet. I opened my eyes and looked, and my heart stopped at the sight. I saw in what seemed like slow motion Beth, falling to the ground with a bleeding hole in the direct center of her chest. I instantly felt my control over my body return, and I reacted quickly. I jumped into the air and used a spin kick to knock the gun free from his hand and away from him. I then after landing did a backflip, kicking him in the chest and knocking him a few feet away. I then stood there, one hand raised and aimed at him, focusing my energy into that hand.

"Solar" I said as a ball of light formed in my hand

"SOLAR FLASH!" I screamed, sending a single beam of Xing Energy flying at him

He was barely able to jump out of the way of the blast as it flew past him, melting the dumpster that was behind him on contact and then making the remains explode in a fiery inferno. Before I know what exactly I'd just done, he was already halfway down the road. I didn't bother to chase after him, knowing I had to heal Beth quickly. As I sprinted over, it didn't even seem like Ronny had noticed what had happened as he cradled Beth, her breathing shallow. I placed my hand on where the entry wound was and tried to heal it…but it wasn't working.

"What are you doing?" Ronny asked as he hung up the phone after calling for an ambulance

"I can usually heal her…there's no time to explain. Did the bullet exit her body?" I asked

"No" he replied

My heart stopped at the answer. With the projectile still inside the wound, I couldn't heel it. And there's no way I could remove it, because I lacked the proper tools and I had no idea where the bullet was. I felt tears falling from my eyes as I saw her breathing getting more and more shallow. Just then, I hear the sound of sirens as two cop cars and an ambulance drive around the corner. Four cops pulled Ronny and I away, us fighting against it, as some medical people put Beth on a bed and brought her into the ambulance.

"Where did the shooter go?" one of them asked

"He ran that way, now let go of me! I've got to go with her!" I yelled, trying to pull myself free, but they had a tight grip

"Son, you'll only get in the way! She's in a critical condition and requires immediate removal of that bullet" The other one said as the ambulance drove off behind one of the police cars, making them finally let me go

I watched as more tears fell from my face as the ambulance disappeared from sight.

"You two, get in the car. We'll take you to the hospital" a female officer said, holding a door open for us

Ronny climbed in first, me following closely behind as the door was slammed behind us. I then heard the sirens start blaring as we drove off at speeds that in any other car would've been illegal. It took no time at all to arrive at the hospital, where we were led to the third floor and told to wait in the waiting room until they discovered more about her condition. I never sat down…I just paced across the tile floor, still only wearing my shorts as my mind went over the events that just partook at a million kilometers a second. How could this happen? It was a perfectly fair fight…how could something like this happen to someone so innocent? I paced for what seemed like hours before someone walked out and called out Beth's name. I walked up to her, hopeful that they'd fixed Beth.

"I'm sorry to tell you, but her condition is too critical for us to fix. The bullet passed into an artery by her heart, and it won't be long before it passes into her heard and stops its beating. Operating on her would only speed up the process of her death…we're very sorry" The nurse said, causing me to fall to my knees

"She's awake now, and we've given her something to stop the pain and we've stopped the bleeding, but she won't last through the night. You may go see her. But we've not told her of her condition. If she asks, and you don't have the heart to tell her, then just say that we've given her a sedative that will make her sleep, and that she'll be alright" she finished

I considered her words. Why does this have to happen to her? She was looking forward to so much…a live show where she would perform…a camping trip with all her best friends…and it was ruined because of some dude who hated losing? Bull shit. I stood up and nodded, so she led me down the hallway and into a room with two beds. The second one was empty, while the first was occupied by Beth. Her cloths were gone…replaced by the medical gown they put you in. her face was distant…conscious, but not fully.

"Hey, Beth. How you feeling?" I asked, trying to sound comforting

"Don't…don't do that. I want you to tell me the truth…am I ok?" she asked, her eyes dead serious

I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth, but I had even less of a heart enough to lie. I stayed silent for what seemed like the longest time before she read my expression and knew the answer.

"Tell Chase that he was the best boyfriend I've ever had…and tell Mag that she was the best friend I could ever wish for" she said, beginning to cry

"Please don't say your goodbyes Beth…not now" I said, beginning to cry myself, but was ignored

"And tell my parents that I'm sorry for all the shit I put them through, and I love them. Tell my brother, Greg, that I'm sorry for being such a bad little sister. And please, make sure they're all safe when I'm gone…" she said, fully crying now along with me as I nodded and grabbed her hand, kneeling down beside the bed

"OK, I will…I promise, they'll all be safe" I replied, laying my head down on her leg as we both cried

We sat there like that for a while, until my vision blackened and I fell asleep. I dreamt of my entire like up till this point…the ups, the downs, and everything in between. I continued dreaming in fragments until I first met Beth a few months ago, stopping her purse from being stolen as she chased down the purse snatcher, up until I saved her from being raped. The dream ended there as I woke. I lifted my head up from its stationary position on Beth's lap, and noticed that the room was dark and silent. The only sound that could be heard was my own steady breathing. As I felt Beth's wrist for a pulse…I realized that there was none. My heart sank as I stood from where I was. I leaned over and plated a kiss on her forehead before exiting the room and walking into the waiting room, where I saw a group of silent people, some crying, which including Ronny, Mag, Roy, Chase, and a bunch of people who looked similar to Beth. When I walked in, they all looked at me in silence.

"She's gone" I stated, once again falling to my knees

At this, they all started crying, but I had a promise to keep. I had to tell them what Beth said, no matter what the affect.

"Chase…Beth wanted me to tell you that you were the best boyfriend she ever had" I said, looking at him. He nodded as silent tears fell from his eyes

"And Mag, she wanted you to know that you were the best friend she could ever wish for" I continued, looking at Mag as she cried

"And she wanted me to tell her parents that she loved you, and was sorry for any wrongs she did you" I said, looking at the two eldest in the group who I assumed were her parents

"Where's Greg?" I asked, causing a dude who looked in his thirties to step forward

"I" he said

"She wanted me to tell you that she was sorry for not being a better little sister and that she loved you" I finished, walking to a chair at the opposite side of the waiting room and crying

Her funeral took place a week later. She was buried in a shiny black coffin with a glass roof so we could see her as she was sent down. I helped with the burying as was requested by her parents. When all was done, I bought them all dinner. We ate in silence, then said our goodbyes after I was given the lease to her apartment. Roy and Mag drove me back to the apartment, where we just sat in silence until dawn, when we finally began to talk.

"So what are you going to do now?" Mag asked me

"Is that position on the police force still open?" I asked

"Yeah" she replied

"Then I'm gonna catch this bastard and bring him to justice, or die trying" I said, my voice full of anger

"I'll tell my brother to fill in your name" she replied

"What about your training?" Roy asked

"I'm done. Ronny has nothing left to teach me, so I'll make use of my skill to avenge my fallen friends and do as promised. I'll protect her friends and family" I replied

Mag walked out with her phone in hand to go call her brother while I put on a shirt and grabbed my belongings, other than the American cloths and money, and placed them in a box at the top of the closet, my bow included. When I walked back into the room, Mag was back on the couch leaning against Roy's shoulder. She sat up on sight of me.

"My brother said that if you go in in an hour, they'll give you a uniform and put you on the case to catch Ricardo Rodriquez. They've already discovered his location, but they need to act fast. He won't be there long" Beth said

"He won't get the chance. I'm taking him out"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 9

The hour passed by slowly as I just sat there. Sadness wasn't even a question anymore. All I felt was anger towards the creep that killed Beth. I stared straight ahead, not looking at Mag or Roy, who I could tell were staring at me with worried expressions. When Beth's clock finally went off signaling the hour was up, I got up immediately, followed by Mag who had her keys in hand.

"Let's go" she said as she let me to her car

We got in and drove silently to the NYPD station, where I was placed as a detective/officer. My job was to let the specialists do their thing in finding the criminal and then I take the lead in taking him out.

"You must be our new recruit-" one person said as they signed me in

"Save the formalities. Just sign me in, suit me up, and point me in the right direction. This S.O.B. is going down" I interrupted

The few people in the room exchanged glances before suiting me up in a bullet-proof vest and a belt which held my firearm and a club. In the hour I waited I'd changed into a plain black t-shirt and black jeans, along with my running shoes. After I was equipped, briefed and taught the basics of being an officer and using a gun, they loaded me into a car and we, along with three other cars drove off with sirens blaring to the location I was told. I sat passenger side as we drove, and I only had one mind set. It took little time to arrive at our location. When we did, I wasn't surprised that it was yet another apartment complex. As the cars parked, people took out their guns and aimed them at the building for reasons unknown.

"What's our play?" I was asked by a German shepherd

"Surround the building. If he hasn't left yet, he won't be going anywhere. I'll go in and take him out" I said, walking to the front door

They didn't dare argue and did exactly what I said. I walked through the front door and saw that the lobby was completely empty. I didn't even need to ask anyone where he was anyway. I sensed his unique aura and went to the third floor, using the stairs. When I got there, I followed my senses and found myself at the very end of the hall looking at a door that seemed rotted. I didn't even bother knocking. Fuelled by anger, I kicked the door down effortlessly.

"What the fu-OH SHIT!" he yelled as he realized who I was

I took note of the fact that he now held what I identified as a revolver pistol, semi-auto. I also saw that there was a little girl…another husky…was next to him. I took one step forward before he grabbed her and held the gun to her head. I stopped.

"That's right, you just stay right there. We don't want a little girl getting hurt, now do we?" he asked, a grin of malice on his face

I let a smirk fall across my face as I continued my advance. He tried to deter me by pulling back the safety, but I still continued.

"That won't work…not now. You kill her, I kill you. You let her go, I bring you to court and we see how you fare" I said, continuing my advance still

I saw his face harden, but then soften as he gave up and let the girl go, who quickly ran behind me. I smiled and quickly moved forward and took the gun from him. I then turned him around and cuffed his wrists behind his back. I then turned him to where he was facing me and looked into his eyes.

"That girl you killed was my friend. She didn't survive the night, and you're lucky I live by honor. Otherwise you'd be a stain on the wall right now" I said

I then noticed his eyes glance behind me, so I quickly turned around just in time to see a baseball bat heading for my skull. I quickly threw Ricardo to the ground and grabbed the bat, pulling it free from the little girl hands.

"Not a chance, missy" I said, breaking the bat on my knee

This made her scream and run into another room. I decided I'd worry about her later while I dealt with the scum I came for. I grabbed him by the cuffs and dragged him over to the window. I could see my police car from there, so I took a few steps back and prepared for a fall.

"Wait…what are you doing?!" he asked, as if it were a mystery

All he did was scream as we broke through the glass. For the first few seconds I let him fall without me, but as we neared the ground I grabbed him and did a 360 degree flip to make sure I didn't break any bones on impact with the ground. As I landed, I caught Ricardo bridal style, and then tossed him to the ground while the other officers stared in awe.

"He came mostly willingly. A little girl, who I'm guessing is his daughter, is up on the third floor hiding. She tried to assault, but it didn't work out in her favor. She's unharmed, but be careful. I don't know how many guns he has up there, so proceed with caution. After that, we're done here. Ricardo Rodriquez, you're under arrest for the murder of Bethany Carly. Get him outa my sight" I ordered

They wasted no time in running up into the building, coming down shortly after with a hand cuffed little girl. After that, she and her father were put in a car and taken away. I was then approached by a different German shepherd and a Hyena. The hyena was female.

"An overly successful first case. How'd you take that fall without breaking anything?" She asked

"Let's just say I'm a very skilled fighter. So who's buying lunch?" I asked

"On me. Names Franklyn Tank. Friends call me Tank" the shepherd said

"I'm Samantha Kale…but you can call me Sam" joined the hyena

"Fisk Thompson, but you can call me Fisk when we aren't at the station or on duty. Otherwise it's Captain Thompson" I said, facing them both and putting a fake look of seriousness on my face

"Well, Captain Thompson, where do you want to go?" Tank asked

" _All units, we have a fire in the Holliday Inn, and it's spreading. We need crowd control here now!"_ I heard from the radio on my shoulder

"I guess there. Let's go!" I commanded and ran back to my car, the other two in close pursuit

We all jumped in my car, Sam driving as we headed for wherever the Holliday Inn was. Upon arrival, I was amazed. The fire was beyond what I could've imagined. It was everywhere in the building. We parked a safe distance away before stepping from the vehicle and running over to the captain of the fire department.

"What's the status?" I asked

"The fire won't go out, and we've got civilians trapped inside. We can't get in there to help them, though. The building could come down any second!" he yelled over the flames

"Get me a gas mask" I said, staring at the flame

"But sir-"

"DO IT!" I screamed

He didn't argue further as he ran to his truck, grabbing a gas mask and tossing it to me.

"Tank, make sure the crowd stays clear…I'll get out as many people as I can, but you make sure that when this place comes down that the crowd is far away" I said, making sure he got every detail

"Yes captain" he said, then ran off

"Sam, keep this contained. Make sure they focus all water on the near buildings so it doesn't spread" I commanded

She nodded and ran off, leaving me to myself. I removed my bullet proof vest and my belt, making sure I wasn't weighed down. I then put on my mask and ran for the entrance, diving through the flames that blocked it. I made sure to keep my body cool as I searched the first floor for people. I found one family of mutts, who I brought to the door and tossed through the flames. I then ran up the stairs and onto the second floor, where most the walls had burned down so the rooms were perfectly visible, not counting the flames. I didn't find any people there, so I jumped through a hole in the ceiling onto the third floor, where I only found a three Hairs, but they said that their daughter was somewhere on the floor. I brought them to the first floor and tossed them out, then flew back up to search for the missing little girl. Just as I saw her, the building began to shudder, and beams began to fall. I flew over to her and picked her up. She wasn't very old…maybe three or four. I ran back to the hole I came through and jumped down, sticking the landing and making a break for the door. But I realized I was too late as the door was blocked by beams of burning wood. I was about to break through it when suddenly the entire building buckled and began to fall. I moved as fast as I could…avoiding falling beams and concrete walls, but it wasn't enough. Eventually I was forced to use my Xing abilities to form a bubble around myself and the little hair. As more and more rubble fell atop us, the bubble became harder to sustain. But eventually the building was fully collapsed and I was able to drop the bubble, surrounded by a TP of wood and stone. Knowing we had to get free, I began charging my energy, forcing my hand above my head as I made sure I was aiming straight up.

"SOLAR FLASH!" I yelled as the same beam of energy shot up

Layer by layer the rubble was melted and blown away as I continued pushing up. After a few seconds I began to climb, making my way to the surface. The air was thin, making me feel light headed as I continued my physical exertions. It seemed like it would never end, but I eventually broke surface and my attack flew into the air as I was hit with something I could breathe. I climbed up into the light and was immediately aided by firemen, who took the little girl and helped me over to a truck, where my mask was removed and I was given a different one…a mask that fed me oxygen through a tank. As I breathed, I saw that the little girl had returned to her family and the people I saved were all in good health. I smiled at myself, feeling good about the fact that I saved so many people. I then decided to assess myself. I felt that blood was trickling down my face from a cut on my head. I also realized that somewhere in there my shirt had been ripped off, so I was now only wearing my pants and shoes. I then heard the voices of two familiar officers.

"Oh my god, Fisk! That was amazing!" Sam yelled as she and Tank ran over

"How'd you do that flashy light thing?" Tank asked

"Last minute use of a propane tank" I lied, removing my oxygen mask and standing up

"Well, after that move you're bound to get a metal. On you first day, too…" Tank said

"He didn't get a metal till his third year of service" Sam said, making me laugh

"Well, if lunch is still on you I think I'm in the mood for a Dairy Queen" I said, then remembered my cloths

"But first, let's swing by my place so I can grab a change of clothes" I added, making them laugh

"Ok, but this time I'm driving" Sam said

We then walked to the car after grabbing my belt along with my firearm and my club. I got in the passenger side seat after calling shotgun like a child and then directed her on where to go. I told them to wait in the car while I ran in and changed. I put on my green shirt with the surfer on the front and grabbed my wallet, which contained all my money. I then switched out my shoes since my running shoes were now melted and deformed. After that, I ran back out to the car and we drove off to the closest Dairy Queen in silence.

"So, what are we in the mood for?" Tank asked at he looked over the outside menu

"I just want a nice cold Root Beer Freeze" I said

"I'll take a vanilla cone dipped in chocolate!" Sam exclaimed

Tank laughed before walking up to the window to order.

"Man, it's hot out here. Summer is definitely upon us" she said

"Really? I didn't notice" I replied sarcastically as I walked over and sat at a table, soon followed by Sam

We sat in silence for a while as I just stared up into the sky, wondering which direction Beth went. The more I thought the more satisfied I was that I put that bastard away. I couldn't help but feel I was forgetting something, though. Did I leave the door unlocked? I didn't know, but the thought escaped me as the ice cream arrived. I took mine and began slurping it down faster than I normally would. I then felt the consequences as my head began to throb and my vision kinda blurred.

"BRAIN FREEZE!" I yelled out and fell to the floor clenching my head, making the other two break out into laughter which they made no attempt to stifle

When the pain subsided, I got back up into my seat, blushing underneath my fur. I then continued drinking, but slower this time.

"So Fisk, we've heard your story before, and heard that at first you didn't want to join the force, but then suddenly we get a call and you're here, making these amazing rescues…" Sam trailed off

"Yeah, she's got a point. If you had these skills, why'd you wait to use them?" Tank asked

Their questions caught me off guard, so I had to think before answering.

"I didn't want to join because I work better when I'm protecting people alone. But the girl Ricardo shot was a dear friend of mine. She was shot trying to prevent him from shooting me, which made it my fault. Her last words to me were a request to protect her family and friends, so I plan to do that by keeping the killers and dangerous people locked up" I replied, letting my gaze fall

They were silent as they averted their eyes, just eating their ice cream. This went on until we finished and went back to the car, where we discovered that the radio was blaring.

"Captain Thompson, come in! Ricardo Rodriquez has escaped custody and is on the run! We lost him after he ran down an alley on 5th Avenue, do you copy?" I heard, then grabbed the radio with my blood boiling

"I copy…keep your eyes open and keep searching. Make sure his daughter is still with you. If he comes to get her, put him down. Unless he surrenders, we put him down, over" I said, getting in the car, soon followed by Tank and Sam

"Copy that. All units in the search, remain alert, and keep guard on Stacy Rodriquez. If he resists we have orders to put him down" I heard

"5th Avenue…let's go" I commanded, and we drove off without argument

With sirens blaring, it took no time at all to get to the said location. The sun was now going down, and quickly at that. I could already see the first stars as we parked. I didn't even leave the car before I pulled my gun out and made sure it was loaded. I then exited the car and walked over to the officer in charge, gun in hand.

"Captain Thompson, thank god you're here. We found him, but he managed to subdue three of my men before escaping yet again" he said

"Where was he last spotted?" I asked, looking around

"Right where we're standing. He hasn't crossed our one-block perimeter, so he's still nearby" he replied

Just then, I heard a gun fire off, so to avoid anyone being shot I went to the ground and swept the legs of all those around me, making them fall to the ground. I did this just in time for a bullet to hit the wall behind us, giving me the direction he was in. when I looked, I spotted him hiding behind a building, gun in hand as he peaked around. I immediately took off in his direction, soon noticed by him as he shot multiple rounds in my direction, missing every time. The chase was on…


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 10

As I ran after him, he continued to fire at me. I was too quick, though. No matter how many times he fired, I kept jumping to the side to dodge. I didn't want to fire any rounds at him until I made sure he could see what he brought upon himself. I chased him through multiple alleyways while still inside the one-block perimeter they set up. He finally found himself out of Ammo, so he focused on running. He wasn't fast enough however, and I eventually forced him into a dead end, where he looked at me with nothing but fear as I approached slowly.

"Ok, I give up…you got me" he said in what seemed an attempt at still remaining alive

"Turn around and put your hands behind your back" I commanded while putting my gun away and taking out my hand cuffs

He complied and turned around, placing his hands together on the small of his back. I thought that he was honestly giving up, but I was sorely mistaken as I watched him twist around and grab my gun from my belt, aiming it at my torso. His attempt was unsuccessful, however, as I jumped over his head, grabbing the pistol from his and shooting him in the back. He fell dead to the ground, his death instantaneous. Just as he hit the ground, multiple troops ran around the corner.

"What happened?" one asked

"He pulled my own gun on me. I was forced to put him down" I said, stepping over his corpse and walking by the group of people

"Get a clean u crew down here. Put his daughter in a foster home until further notice" I said, not even looking at them

"Yes sir" a voice replied

I walked through the many alleys, retracing my steps as I made my way back to the cars. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Tank and Sam, plus the former commanding officer.

"What happened? Did he get away?" the officer asked

"No…he resisted so I put him down" I replied, walking by them and to the car

"Sam, if you don't mind driving me home, I'd like to get some rest. One arrest, a burning building, and a death can wear a guy down" I requested, getting in the passenger seat

"Yeah, sure" she replied, jogging over and getting in the driver's seat

I didn't pay attention to how long the drive took to get home. I was too busy thinking about the feeling I had that I was forgetting something. The car turning off was my only indication that we had arrived at the apartment.

"You doing ok? You've been silent all this time, and having to put someone down isn't exactly easy on the mind" Sam asked

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just can't shake the feeling that 've forgotten something really important" I replied, unbuckling my seat belt and stepping out of the car

"I'll see you in the morning" I said, then shut the door and went inside the apartment

I didn't even look around before going into Beth's old room, now my room. I took off my shirt and tossed it in the laundry basket, then let gravity pull me as I fell onto the bed. I didn't wrap myself in the covers, as it was a hot night. All I could do was sit there as I drifted into a dreamless sleep, contempt with the job I'd done today. I woke up to the sound of Beth's alarm going off at 5:00 AM. I got up and shook the sleepiness from my head before walking out into the hall and into the bathroom. After doing the normal business, I walked out and grabbed a towel from the closet, and then walked back in. I turned on the shower and gave it time to warm up by taking my time in stripping from my pants and boxers. When I was bare, I stepped into the shower, closing the curtain behind me. After I had cleaned myself, I got out and used the towel to dry off my fur, then wiped down the water on the floor. I then grabbed a couple Q-Tips and cleaned my ears out, throwing them in the bathroom trash can when I was done. After that, I walked back into my room and tossed the towel in the hamper. After that I heard my radio start to make noises.

" _Captain Curtis, we've got a robbery on Thirty Ninth Street, please move in, over"_ a voice said

Not for me, so I kept on my morning schedule. I put on a plain grey sleeveless shirt, followed by a clean pair of boxers, a pair of socks, my pants, and my B-Ball shoes. I then put on my belt that held my gun and club, along with my bullet-proof vest. No sooner were they on than I heard a knock on the door. I walked over and opened it to find Tank.

"Thought you might need a ride. I'll sweep us through McDonalds before we get to the station" he said

"Thanks…just let me grab my keys" I replied, jogging down the hall and into my room, grabbing my keys off the night stand before returning to the door

"Let's go" I said

We walked out the door and out to the car, me getting in the passenger side while he drove us to the said fast food restaurant.

"I'll have an Egg McMuffin and a large coke" I said

"Alright, one Egg McMuffin with a large coke and…a number three with a sweet tea" Tank said into the big clown head

"Alright sir, your total comes up to $5.37. Thank you for choosing McDonalds" the head replied, then we pulled up to a window

Tank paid for the food and grabbed the bags before driving off towards the station. I finished all my food half way there, whereas Tank couldn't eat while driving, so he was forced to wait until we arrived to eat. While he sat at his desk eating his food and looking over some papers, I went to the firing range to practice. I was soon joined by Sam, who was clearly much better. I emptied a full clip and never hit center target, while she fired off three clips and hit center on every shot.

"You're new to using guns, but you'll get better" she said, taking off her head phones and walking out

"Yeah sure" I replied, laughing at myself as I fired off a few more rounds before leaving the range. I then heard the radio on my shoulder

" _Captain Thompson, we've got a stolen vehicle headed east on Broadway. Interception required"_ I heard

I immediately put my gun away and ran out to the car. Broadway wasn't far, just a block away. I decided to run instead of drive, since I had no clue how to drive anyway. I ran into the street and could clearly see the speeding Mustang Convertible under the pursuit of two police cars. I knew it was heading in my direction, so I stood in the middle of the road, gun in hand and aimed at the wind shield. When they were close enough, I shot the front window and watched it turn white with cracks. I then dove for the sidewalk as the sped past me, swerving until the finally were flipped by a fire hydrant. Once on my feet, I walked over and opened the door to the flipped car, only to find that the driver and his possible companions were already gone, but they weren't far. I could see them running away through the other open door. I put my gun away and took off after them, quickly catching up. When I was close enough, I leapt into the air and kicked them both to the ground.

"NYPD, put your hands behind your back!" I commanded, and the quickly complied

I was then met by two other officers who cuffed their wrists and pulled them back to a police car. After I was sure they were contained, I jogged the blocks distance back to the station, where I was met with a pleasant surprise. I found myself face to face with the Chief of Police, holding in his hand a dazzling silver medal. Sam was standing nearby with a look of happiness on her face, while Tank didn't stand as close and he didn't look as happy.

"Fisk Thompson, you've only been on the force for a day, and yet you've caught a murderer, put down an assaulter of police, and saved many lives from a burning building without a single thought of yourself living through it. This is why we've all elected to give you this honorary medal of selflessness" he said, clipping the silver medal to the front pocket on my vest

"I'm honored, Chief…but it was my first day, do I really deserve this?" I asked, truly unsure

"In all my years on the force, I never saved so many lives. You did it in one day. There is no doubt in my mind that you deserve this medal for having the heart of a hero" he replied

I was speechless from there to the next five minutes. It wasn't until I heard a radio start blaring random words that I was taken from my trance.

"This is quite the 24/7 job, isn't it?" I said, earning laughter from everyone in the room as I walked over to the radio to listen

" _I repeat: all units to 5_ _th_ _Avenue, we have an armored truck robbery, and they are armed! We're in a big firefight and they've got us out gunned!"_ I heard, followed by shuffling around behind me and the sound of guns being loaded

I walked over and grabbed one of the big guns from the rack. I grabbed a Semi-Automatic Assault Rifle and a pack of bullets. I loaded a magazine and put it in the gun, then loaded a few extra magazines in case they were needed, then loaded my side arm. When I was ready, I ran out to the car with Sam and Tank right behind me. I jumped in the back this time so Tank could have his turn in front while Sam once again drove. They weren't lying about themselves being outgunned. The robbers were packing full auto assault rifles and semi auto shot guns. They also had one non-automatic rifle for distance shooting. As we drove on the scene, we were instantly being hit with rounds from the rifle. Sam quickly swerved us into the line of other police cars, soon followed by the rest of the police cars behind us. I grabbed my gun and jumped out, immediately opening fire on the nearest foe. I soon realized that they had the better position with more cover. Every time I shot, the person would duck behind the armored truck. I needed a better angle, but there was no way to get closer without being shot. As I continued firing, I noticed that there was an alley right next to them on the left.

"Tank, cover me! I'm gonna get a closer shot!" I yelled as I started running to the left outside the line of fire

As I ran, I could see bullets hitting everywhere around me. As I was about to reach my destination behind the building so I could make my way around the building and into the alley, I felt a bullet pierce my skin and enter my right arm. I ignored the pain, though, and kept going. As I walked around what I identified as a business building, I could only hear the gunfire. I began sprinting as fast as I could, my arm slowing me down. I finally reached the alley, and as I looked through, I could clearly see the robbers firing at the officers. I then ran down the alley, heart racing and gun aimed at the nearest enemy. I was still unseen as I reached the end of the alley, kneeling to the ground as I put my eye up to the scope to aim better. As I took my first shot at the body of the closest thug, who then fell, my position was given away. I had to quickly shoot the rest down as they opened fire on me, but I was in luck since my aim was slightly better. I shot down the next two, leaving only the rifle holder who hid himself inside the truck. The firing had all seized as there was no longer anything to fire at. I watched as the army of police ran up and surrounded the truck, leaving me to sit there and stop fighting the pain in my upper right arm. The pain was a mixture of aching and sharp, making it very unpleasant to experience. I still managed to watch as the man was dragged from the truck in hand cuffs and into a police car, then driven away.

"Fisk!" I heard from behind me

When I turned around, I saw a familiar black and tan cat peaking around the corner from the other end of the alley.

"Mag, what are you doing here?!" I asked, standing up and jagging over to her, my right arm tucked into my vest so it didn't hurt so much

"Watching the excitement!" she replied, meeting me half way in the alley

"Well you should get out of here. It's way too dangerous" I said

"WAS too dangerous…but you just took care of the danger!" she exclaimed, wrapping me in a light hug

"Captain Thompson…that was a brave move" I heard behind me

I turned around and saw an unknown female hair in a police outfit.

"Just thinking on my feet. Did we lose anyone?" I asked, hopeful that I acted in time

"Sadly yes. We lost McBride from Captain Reynolds's division" she replied, letting her ears fall low at the sides of her head

I sighed, trying my best to remain with my mind set on the current situation. We had four criminal corpses on the street, bullets and bullet holes everywhere, and a badly damaged armored truck.

"Order a clean-up crew. Get me files on all the deceased criminals and interrogate the one we arrested. This was too big a robbery with too big of guns. There's a bigger picture behind this" I ordered

"Yes sir" she said, running back down the alley and out of sight

I turned around and saw that Mag had a weird look on her face, as if trying to figure out something.

"What's up with you?" I asked

"Couple things: first, how did you become captain? You just started" she asked

"Not a clue…it's just where I started" I replied

"Okay…and second, that chick was flirting with you" she said, putting a smirk on her face

"What? No way…she was just giving me some info and taking orders" I replied

"Don't tell me you didn't see her batting her eyes as she told you how brave you were, and how cute she tried to look when she told you about losing an officer" she said, putting her hands on her hips

I thought about it and realized that she was right. The officer had done all the things she said, I just didn't take it to mind.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. So what?" I asked

"So, you should ask her out!" she exclaimed

I thought about those few words for what seemed like forever while we stood there in silence. Should I…I mean, I didn't with Beth because there was something stopping me, but I can't remember what it was. Guess I just wasn't looking for a companion at the time, but now it might be ok.

"I'll think about it…but this is a hard line of work. Might be complicated" I finally said

"This is New York, everything is either complicated or in the mad house" she replied, making me laugh

"Yeah, true. I guess I will later, but you better not be pulling my chain on this one. I know where you live" I joked

"Whatever, and no you don't. I've gotta go, I'm running late for my date with Roy. See you later, Fisk" she replied as she turned around and began walking away, waving to me as she gained distance

I did the same as I walked back to where all the police cars were, where I found Sam and Tank waiting for me.

"Took you long enough. Let's get you to the hospital to get that arm fixed up. You never fail to impress" Tank said, getting in the back seat

Sam was already in the driver's seat listening to the radio. She quickly changed the station as Tank opened the back door to get in. I only heard the word "Worldwide" from a young male singer before the channel changed to country music.

"Why you hiding the music you listen to?" I asked as I sat down in the front seat, carefully putting on my seat belt as to not further hurt my arm

"I'm not…" she replied as I closed the door

"I saw you change the station. Who were you listening to before?" I asked

"No one" she replied

"She's trying to hide the fact that she listens to Big Time Rush" Tank said from the back

"Shut up!" She yelled

"Who's that?" I asked

"A popular boy band that all young girls seem to be crazy about…like One Direction only younger" Tank answered

"Well, turn it back. Now I'm curious" I said

Sam reluctantly changed the station back to what was apparently a playlist on her phone. I soon learned that the song was Worldwide, and it wasn't all that good. Wasn't bad, but really not too good either.

"Its okay" I lied

"Really?" she asked

"Yeah. Don't know why you were afraid" I lied again

I then heard Tank start cracking up in the back seat. I could see Sam blushing through her fur as she turned into Times Square to get back to the Hospital. To shut him up, I leaned my seat back to where it was crushing his legs. I kept in this position until he shut up, making Sam laugh. After we got the bullet out of my arm and got me stitched up, we returned to the station. It was no sooner that we parked than I was met by a familiar white hair. I got out of the car and was handed a report with the pictured of all the people who had something to do with the robbery.

"I did as you said and ran the files on all those people. Turns out, we might be on to something of an underground criminal syndicate" she said, batting her eyes at me

" _Wow, Mag really was right_ " I thought to myself

"Thanks, why don't we meet up and discuss this over some drinks" I suggested, trying to be smooth

"Are you asking me out, captain?" she asked

"Are you refusing? Cuz I could just give this to the detective and-" I was interrupted

"NO! It's just, you've surprised me again, Captain Thompson" she said

"At this point, call me Fisk. Unless we're on a case, you don't have to call me Captain" I replied

"Alright, Fisk. But do you even know my name?" she asked, clearly testing me

I quickly glanced at the badge on her chest and looked back up before she noticed.

"Let's see…was it Trina Martinez?" I asked jokingly

"Alright, but I'll be watching you, Fisk Thompson. Meet me at the bar at Seven when our shifts are over" she said, turning around and walking towards the entrance of the station, flashing me a smile before she walked in

I then turned around and saw that Tank and Sam were still watching. Their mouth hung agape, and I laughed at the sight.

"Man, you must have practiced that a million times last night" Tank said

"Actually no, I just improvised" I replied, making Tank's mouth once again fall open

"Man, Asian dude got some moves" Sam said, trying to sound like a gangster

"When you got it, you got it" I replied, mimicking the accent

We all laughed as we walked into the station. As we walked in, we all went to our respective desks. I only walked by mine as I went into the detective's office.

"What can I do you for, captain?" he asked

"We might have a big problem. We have a lead that says there might be criminal union beneath the police radar. I need this case run through by our finest, otherwise New York might end up being a rotten apple" I said, tossing him the report

"Second day and already saving the city? You've got quite the skill. I'll take this and look it over, and I'll give you the result in a few hours" he replied as he grabbed the report from where it had landed on the top of his desk

"Thanks" I said as I walked out of the office

The day was quiet for the next few hours. I sat at my desk, playing with my tail as I waited for something to happen. Everyone else wasn't doing much else. Some other people were playing cards as they waited. Nobody even walked in to report a stolen vehicle. I was beginning to get extremely bored until Trina walked over to my desk and sat on top of it.

"I see you find your tail quite interesting" she said, making herself laugh

"Well there's just so much fur, all I can do is stare" I replied, laughing along

"Kind of a boring day" she said

"Yeah. I just hope it stays that way when the detectives give me some info on that lead we have. I really hope we're wrong" I replied

"Yeah really" she said

As if on cue to my words, the detective ran from his office screaming for everyone to get out of the building.

"Run! They set a bomb!" he yelled

Wanting to clarify, but not wanting to risk anyone being hurt, I went with it and told everyone to clear out. Once we were outside the building and away from danger, I ran over to him and asked what was going on.

"I connected that lead to the recent spike in crime. The points in the city form a circle around the police station, slowly getting closer and closer. There have been robberies at stores that sell guns, small explosives, and some other items like packs of nails and screws. I don't know where, but I'm certain that the last robbery was a diversion to get us out of the station. There's a bomb somewhere in there, I know it" he explained

My heart stopped as I listened to him. I told him to get ahold of whoever was meant to deal with these situations. I made sure that everyone was clear as a big SWAT truck arrived on the scene. I watched as someone in a big suit meant to withstand some explosions walked into the station holding a tool box. The other captains and I were the ones closest to the building, watching everything that happened and making sure that nobody got near the building. It was another hour later that the guy walked out holding a big box with bogs full of nails attached to the side.

"Bomb disabled!" he yelled, making everyone break out in applause

My heart finally started beating again, until I heard a light electronic beep. Suddenly, the box exploded.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 11

I quickly dove for the nearest people, dragging them down with me as I dove behind cover. I closed my eyes as the explosion rocked the ground, and nails were shot everywhere. I was glad I dove behind a concrete slab used to make sure no cars drove into unwanted areas. When the explosion was over, I still didn't open my eyes. I was dreading what I'd see. But I had no choice but to look as I had to make sure anyone injured but alive would be treated for their injuries. As I stood up, I was terrified at the sight. Anyone who was close and not behind cover was dead. Most of the other captains, Chief Baxter, and multiple officers, all dead. Either killed by the explosion or the projectiles it sent out. There were more alive than dead, but there were still many now dead. Even the one in the protective suit was dead, being impaled by the many sharp objects. I scanned the ground for any of my people, namely Tank, Sam or Trina. I didn't see them, but I still wasn't convinced. I ran out into the parking lot that was littered with bodies, searching for them. I then saw Trina and Sam running up to me, finally managing to break through the crowd.

"Fisk, have you seen Tank? We couldn't find him" Sam said

"No, I haven't. Search the bodies for anyone still breathing. Captain Ron, call for an ambulance!" I commanded, continuing my search

I scanned the nearby bodies closer to see if they were alive. I found none. I then heard a sound I dreaded I would here. A gasp coming from the mouth of Sam. I ran over to her and saw what she was looking at. The body of someone I dreaded seeing on this ground: Tank.

"Fisk, he's still breathing!" she said

"Get a medic over here!" I screamed

I kneeled down beside him, seeing as he was unconscious and actually didn't look too badly mangled from the waste up. I waited there beside him, just watching him sit there and breathe as I waited for the ambulance. It wasn't much longer until it arrived, soon after being the arrival of two medics with one of those rolling beds. Tank was loaded into the ambulance, followed by Sam and I who wanted to stay with him.

"Keep searching for survivors" I told Trina before they closed the door and drove off

The drive took little time, but in the suspense it seemed to take forever. I watched as they hooked Tank up to a machine which beeped every time his heartbeat. The beeps were fast…barely a fourth of a second in between each beat.

"He's going into shock!" a man said as he began putting some liquid into a syringe

I wanted to help to tank, but I was too busy holding Sam as she cried into my shoulder. I made sure she couldn't see what they were doing, mainly because it was making the now conscious Tank scream in pain. They were cleaning the wounds on his legs with alcohol, along with Peroxide, making it an altogether unpleasant experience for Tank. I wished there was something I could do, and I felt like there was. I searched my memories for something I'd done before, but I found nothing. As far as I knew, there wasn't anything I could do…but I still felt like I was missing something. As we finally arrived at the hospital, Tank was carted off to an unknown room while we were brought to a waiting room. This scenario was all too familiar. The racing of my heart…the unstoppable pacing I did across the waiting room floor as I waited. The worry and helplessness I felt…it was all the same things I'd felt and done when Beth was shot.

"Not again…please" I thought as I paced, listening to the crying of Sam

After an hour of this same process, a nurse finally came out and asked me if she could speak to me in private. I agreed and followed her to an office where she shut the door and had me sit down.

"We removed a large amount of shrapnel from his legs, and cleaned him up very nicely. He'll live through the ordeal" She said, making me sigh in relief

"Why'd you pull me off like this, then? That's great news!" I asked

"Well, the news isn't all good. The damage to his legs was too great, and a piece of shrapnel lodged itself in the lower portion of his spinal cord, severing part of his vertebrae. I'm afraid he'll never have use of his legs again. We removed the shrapnel, but the damage cannot be repaired" she said

My heart sank. This news was still better than him dying, but it made me sick to my stomach. He'll never walk again?

"Does he know?" I asked

"No. we thought it best that one of his friends let him know. And I thought it be better that if the other one tells him, then you'd better tell her" she replied

I didn't quite understand that logic, but I nodded. We then stood up and she led me back out to the waiting room. I walked over to Sam, who looked at me hopefully. I walked over and sat next to her.

"So?" she asked

"So, I've got good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?" I asked

"Don't do that. Just tell me of his condition" she replied

"Alright. He's going to live, but his spine was damaged in the explosion and due to that, he'll never walk again. It'd take a miracle" I said, then clenched my eyes and waited for her reaction. All I heard was her breathing

"Ok, I'll tell him" she said, then stood up and walked over to the nurse, who led her down the hall and out of sight

I sat there in a silence so deep I couldn't even think. Nothing disturbed it, save for my quiet breathing. I just waited, and waited, and waited some more I the never ending silence, until I finally heard the sound of footsteps coming from the hall Sam and the nurse had gone down. I held my breath until Sam finally emerged. She walked over and sat down next to me.

"He uh…took it well. Or at least better then what I would've expected" she said

I didn't reply. I sat there as we just looked at each other. Her expression was blank, and her posture was emotionless. At first I thought something in there had changed her, until her posture was broken. She burst into tears and fell onto my chest, bawling so much that the fur underneath my shirt was soaked. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight to me as my own tears fell silently from my eyes. What I was feeling was pure helplessness. There was so much happening, so much going on around me that I had no control of. I had nothing left in me but anger and sadness, but at the moment only my sadness showed. We stayed like that for a while until the nurse cleared her throat.

"We've sedated him, and he's sleeping well. He'll be able to go home in a month, but on certain grounds only" she said

"What grounds?" I asked

"Does he live with anyone? Friends, family, anyone at all?" she asked

"No, he's lived alone for years" Sam replied, wiping her eyes and sniffling

"Then unless that is rectified, he'll have to stay here. We can have a half paralyzed cop living alone. It isn't safe for his life" She said

"He can't spend the rest of his life in a hospital…what if I moved in with him?" Sam asked

"Then he'd be able to go home. Protection from another cop will give him the proper safety" the nurse replied

"I will as well. I'd like to ensure his safety and I think I've lived alone long enough" I interjected, making Sam smile at me and mouth her thanks

"Alright, when he wakes one of you can let him know" the nurse replied, smiling

"I've got to go back to what's left of the station and start looking for the criminals responsible for this. I'll make them pay" I said, standing up and hugging Sam goodbye

I then walked off, going directly out to the elevators and to the first floor. When I exited the building, I felt my mind aching. I still couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something major, but I just couldn't remember what. I decided that there were more pressing matters at hand. Since my ride was occupied, I began to jog, maneuvering through crowds and traffic to Times Square, where the crowd was larger than usual. People with guitars, martial arts items, boom boxes, and all sorts of stuff. I then saw a flyer as I jogged by which read: Time's Square Talent Show, two months away. Practice every day here at 3:00! I then remembered the talent show Beth and I were going to compete in, and the though depressed and confused me. Should I still compete, or should I not out of respect for Beth? Would not competing be what she would've wanted? I shook the thoughts from my head and continued my jog, but sped to a sprint until I reached the rubble that used to be the police station.

"Fisk!" I heard behind me

I turned to see a Trina, who looked like she'd just seen a ghost.

"Any more survivors?" I asked

"No…Tank was the only one caught in the explosion who will walk away" she said, her ears falling down

"Not exactly…his legs and spine were damaged too greatly and as a result he'll never walk again. I hate to say it but we need to prepare for his honorable discharge" I replied, then looked around. All the bodies were cleaned up, taken somewhere unknown to me. "How many lost?" I asked. My question was followed by nearly a full minute of silence

"Sixty two"

As soon as I heard the number, my heart stopped. I felt my knees give out as I fell upon them, also feeling my anger, sadness, and pain bubble up inside me, filling my lungs with what seemed like pure negative emotion. I felt that if I kept the air in my lungs then in would do something bad to me, so I leaned forward, looking down with my knuckles to the ground and opened my mouth. What came out was a scream so fierce, so loud, and so full of anger that I myself was terrified. My lungs took what seemed like a lifetime to empty. The anger-filled bellow went on and on, endlessly filling the space around me with the horrifying noise. Eventually my lungs emptied, forcing the scream to stop and me to take in a lung full of fresh air. After I took that breath, I began to sob. All I could think about was the families of these people. How drastically would this affect them? If it wasn't for the douchebags that did this! Upon thinking that, my tears stopped. My sadness turned to anger. I quickly stood up and turned to look at Trina, who jumped back in fear.

"Trina, I need you to take the place of our main investigator. Get every detective we have left working on this crime scene. One thing I noticed just before the bomb went off was that the locks on the door were still intact. Whoever planted that bomb had a key" I commanded

"Do you mean someone inside the police force is a trader?" she asked

"I'm saying whoever planted that bomb had access to one of our officer's keys, and had some motive. Check all security camera's in the area that could see the station. Who's taking over the Chiefs position?" I asked

She was silent for a moment, taking in the given information before speaking.

"Every alternative Chief we had in line was killed. The next thing person to choose would be our top Captain, and right now that's you" she replied

"Then Officer Kale takes over my position. Sam is a fine officer and won't let us down. Now go do as I've told you. I'm gonna check our security cams for something" I commanded, then walked off towards the cameras we have set up outside the building

In my mind I was wondering if the bomber was as smart as he seemed so far. And just as I thought, the cameras were disconnected. The cables were unplugged and the cameras were turned off. I grabbed ahold of the cable, trying to find a flaw. A cut point or some kind of clue that said it wasn't actually one of our own. But as I feared, it was unlocked by a key and taken out of its socket. I cursed in anger, tossing the wire aside and into the wall. It then swung from its connection to the wall.

"Chief, all cameras that had a view of the station had their cables either disconnected or cut" I heard Trina behind me

"What could possibly be their motive? They can't just not want the police around…that's too simple. There has to be a certain person they're after. But with all the people dead, do you think they're still coming?" I asked, not expecting any real reply

"I don't know. Do you have any enemies, sir?" she asked in reply

"What?" I asked, turning around to face her

"Do you have any enemies?" she asked again

I thought about the question. Somewhere in my gut, I knew I had a powerful enemy, but the idea seemed out of an action cartoon. I couldn't remember what my enemies or who my enemies were, other than the man who killed Beth, but I put him down.

"Not that I can remember" I replied

"Well, if they were after one of the lower officers, they'd just send a hit man. But they bombed the building…they must be after someone hard to kill and important. Who?" she asked, looking at the ground with a puzzled expression on her face

"They may have been after the previous chief, and he's dead now. If he was who they were after, then they got the job done" I stated, my expression turning angry

She didn't reply. She only wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I was about to hug her back when I heard some voices around the corner, and I could clearly make out what they were saying.

"You idiot! You set the bomb off too soon!" I heard a deep voice

"I'm sorry! The plan went wrong when they evacuated the station!" I heard a female voice

"We prepared you for all things that could go wrong. You know his stats, his out of country origin, and his connection. He's gonna be hard to take out, but all the other people who can stand in my way are dead. You take out his Asian ass or I'll let my waiting men have their way with you before I kill you myself. And they can get nasty. And I'll be sure you're friend meet's his suffering demise" the deep voice said, followed by skidding tires

"They are after you" Trina whispered

"Walk around like you're just going by, get a look at the face, and get in your car. Drive around the block and wait five minutes. I'll find a safe spot and when the time is up, tell me who it is over the radio, and make sure you're on my secret frequency. Go now" I ordered

She nodded and walked in the direction of her car, glancing back and shooting a smile and waving at the person around the corner. She then got in her car and drove off. When she turned the corner, I walked off toward the place across the street, claiming I had to use the restroom. When I entered the ivory tile room, I entered the far stall and flipped my radio to the correct channel. After a few minutes, I heard some static followed by a familiar voice saying a name that hurt to hear so bad, I nearly slammed through the wall.

"It's Sam Kale"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 12

"It's Sam Kale"

I almost collapsed. Hearing that name in place as a criminal/cop nearly knocked me off my feet. I hadn't the faintest idea what to think, or feel, or do. I knew who the mole in our station was…I just had no idea what to do about it. Sam is one of my most trusted officers, right beside Tank, and I was ready to offer her a position as captain as I was taking over as chief, only to learn this.

"Are you sure?" I asked, hoping my ears were deceiving me

"Yes…Sam Kale is in cahoots with the Criminal Syndicate" she replied, using a word that seemed straight out of a teen comedy show

I now at second hearing felt something so intense…so insanely terrifying that it caused me to begin laughing. I was feeling a furry so horrible that I couldn't even show it. Instead, my overloaded brain was making me laugh. I then thought about Tank. Sam…a criminal…was about to move in with my half paralyzed friend. I needed to act, and I needed to act fast.

"Call Sam and tell her to meet me at the old abandoned mill. Tell her I think I have a lead and need her at my side" I said into my radio

"But she'll kill you!" came a reply

"She'll certainly try. Do as I tell you" I commanded

"Yes sir. Should I send reinforcements?" she asked

"No. I'll have to do this myself" I said

There was no reply. I decided to just go to the said location on foot. At full sprint, it took me no time at all. It was far, but traffic was so bad I could just sprint though the streets, legal or not. The sun was now starting to go down, making the old mill seem like a scene from Paranormal Activity. I waited in the center of the mill for Sam to arrive. My guard was up, ready for her to pull any trick she could. With my back turned, it appeared like I was unaware of her approach from behind. I could feel her presence, though. I only gave the hint that I knew she was there when I heard a mechanical click unique to her Colt Revolver.

"And what do you plan to do with that?" I asked, turning around

She quickly put away her gun before I saw it, but it was pointless. I already knew.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked, trying to seem casual as she walked forward

"Don't give me that crap. I know about you, Sam" I said, menace in my voice

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"I know about your little allegiance to the Syndicate, your failed attempt to kill me with the bomb which killed 63 of our INNOCENT officers! I know how you've been set up to kill me, the Asian MMA fighter, and new chief. Not to mention how you were responsible for the paralyses of your best friend! Now why don't we just be honest with each other, huh? I've got no lead; I'm just here to catch you. And you aren't here for the lead, you are here to finish the job" I yelled, stopping her in her tracks

"Please, Fisk. Don't make this hard" she said, once again taking her gun in hand

"Make what hard? Being responsible for one more death atop sixty three others? Or being responsible for the death of your friend, commanding officer, and the one who trusted you with his life?" I asked, making her falter, and her lip quiver

"Please" she pleaded again, taking aim and pulling back the hatch

"Go ahead, just do it. Just know what you're doing" I said, then turned around and closed my eyes

I waited, each moment feeling like a lifetime waiting for the shot to be taken. I jumped when I heard a crash, followed by intense sobbing. I turned around to see that Sam was on the ground sobbing, her revolver on the ground multiple yards away. When I deemed it safe, I pulled my hand cuffs off my belt and walked over, binding her hands behind her back.

"You're under arrest for the murder of 63 police officers, and an attempt on the life of the Chief of police. I'm sorry, Sam" I said, picking her up off the ground and walking her back to her own car.

I took her keys away and put her in the back seat, closing the door behind her. I then switched my radio back to the normal frequency and held down the button.

"Captain Roland, I require a transport. Send it with two officers, over" I said, then waited for a reply

"Copy that. Can I have your location, sir?" he asked

"The old saw mill outside the city. Make sure you can trust these officers, we've had a betrayal inside the department and I don't know if there are more. Over and out" I said, then let go of the button

I waited a few minutes in silence before I heard my name being called from inside the car.

"What do you want?" I asked

"I'm sorry for doing what I did. Please let me explain" she pleaded

"Not interested" I said

"They have my husband!" she yelled, grabbing my attention

"What?" I asked, looking in the window

"My husband, Eric…they've had him for years, keeping him barely alive. They use him as blackmail to make me do their dirty work" she replied

"Who's they?" I asked

"They call themselves The Nest. The one in charge of it all is someone they call The Rat. His real name is Jonathan Nelson, and he has an army of criminal's equivalent to a quarter of the population of New York! They think that the NYPD restrict too much, and that they should be taken out. I was told to kill you since your reputation says you're hard to kill" she finished

"Give me a location and I'll guarantee the court is merciful" I said

"They disguise themselves as-LOOK OUT!" she yelled

I turned around to see a large man running at me with an axe. I dove to the side just before the axe made contact with my skull, making it instead it the hood of the car.

"BLACKSTONE-" Sam was cut off as the car exploded, taking the man in the flames

I myself was sent flying, luckily untouched by any shrapnel or flames. I landed on my back, but was immediately looking back at the car.

"SAM NO!" I screamed

I felt my soul once again burn with anger, and felt some strange sensation building up in my core. It died, however, when I heard the sirens of approaching police cars. As if out of a tragedy movie, warm summer rain began to fall from the night sky. My cloths and fur were quickly soaked.

"Fisk! Are you alright?" Trina asked as she jumped from a car and ran to my side

"Sam wasn't a betrayer. She had no choice…they have her husband. She was telling me everything when some dude came out with an axe and hit the hood. The blow caused the car to explode" I said, my voice low as I knelt there on my knees

"I'm so sorry. Did you get any useful information?" she asked

"Get the S.W.A.T. and get them ready. We're about to face off against an army of criminals large enough to equal one fourth the population of New York. We're going against what's called "The Nest" led by the head Rat, Jonathan Nelson. They disguise themselves as some company called Blackstone. We hit them as soon as possible" I said, then stood up and walked over to Captain Roland

"Captain, make sure we have every officer we've got on this case. Order everyone to head home and gather all the ammo and guns they've got. We're gonna need it. I'll also head home and look around for anything useful. Trina will fill you in on the details. Pick me up at my house in thirty" I said as I reached him

"Yes sir. Will you require a transport?" he asked

"Yes please" I replied

"Walker, give the Chief a lift to his apartment. Then go home and gather all weapons and ammo you've got!" Roland yelled, making his head officer run over and silently lead me to his car

When I got in the passenger side, I gave him the address and he still silently drove me home. When I exited the car, he didn't even say goodbye. He just drove off. I shrugged it off and went inside to begin my search for the correct supplies to avenge my friends and fallen officers. I first searched the main bedroom closet, but only found towels and cloths. I next searched the bathroom. Nothing. I searched all around the house, but found only my own spare ammo for my side arm. The only place left to check was Beth's old storage closet, but as far as I could remember, I hadn't been in there. I decided to have a quick look. I reached out and grabbed the handles to the ivory doors, pulling the open quickly. I found that it was mostly full of holiday decorations and costumes. There was a high shelf that I could barely reach full of large boxes. They were large enough to fit me in if I balled myself up.

I reached up and pulled down the first box. It only contained more Christmas ornaments. Next box. I pulled down another smaller box and found Halloween props such as rubber swords and make-up. I then pulled down a heavier box which contained books and photo albums. There was only one box left now, and it was a more elongated shape. I pulled it down and discovered it was very light, and I could feel the contents in it shifting. It was nearly empty. I walked over to the kitchen table and placed it down, using my claws to cut through the tape. When I opened it, I was surprised at what I found. A black and gold bow which looked to be made of steel, but felt light in my hand. I also found what felt like silk pants and a silk vest, but seemed too small to fit me. Next I pulled out a small leather pack, completely empty. I then pulled out two sandals, once again too small to fit me or Beth for that matter. The last things in the box were random pieces of paper with Chinese symbol on them, and one with a Chinese letter and some other weird symbol on it. I was about to toss the box aside when I heard another piece of paper slide around. I placed the box back down on the table and looked. It was a picture, a painting, of what looked like a younger version of me, wearing silk pants and no shirt, next to a wolf that wore an orange vest and had her hair put in a black braid behind its head.

I reached out to pick up the picture, but upon contact, my vision went into what seemed like a dream and my head began to ache. I saw visions of myself in a Chinese orphanage, playing with a bunny that I somehow recognized as my sister, Lucy. The vision then changed to me training in a palace with two tigers, three wolves, a panda, a smaller red panda, and four other animals that I couldn't clearly see. All my memories were coming back. Lucy, Sky, Shifu, Collin, Syrina, Po, Tigress, Monkey, Viper, Mantis, Crane, and Niki. I remembered the entire reason I came to America, and why I needed to get back. I remembered how I planned to arrive singing a song and playing my guitar, and how I felt about Niki. I remembered my Xing abilities and training, and the way I felt about Niki. Did I say that already? I knew I had to get home, and soon. I picked up the paper with the message and Xing memory symbol on it and placed it on the table in front of me. I then grabbed my bow and aimed it at the paper, pulling back the string and charging up Xing energy to the best of my ability since I was quite rusty. When I released the string, I was engulfed in darkness.

"Look, the Ladies of the Shade are performing!" I heard from a familiar child's voice

I could see myself with Lucy on my back being dragged through town by a young wolf named Niki. Then the vision changed to saving Lucy from the croc in the orphanage, then using my Xing powers for the first time. Then to Sky healing her lungs, and then my first fight with Tigress, followed by my honorable submission. Then everything went dark again, and I could see the faces of Sky, Niki, Po, Shifu, The Furious Five, Collin, Syrina, Song, Su, Won Yu, Wan, Wing, all my friends from back home…even my enemies. But then the darkness returned. But this was a different darkness. One much different from the warmer darkness that signaled a new memory. This one was cold and uninviting.

"The prophecy was wrong…" I heard from a voice pure evil, followed by a lingering echo

"I am not defeated. I will return and this time…" the voice continued, and then paused

It was silent for a while, but then a face all too familiar appeared in front of me, but very large. "The darkness will overcome the light. I will wipe out the Xing!" the face yelled, and then I watched as he opened his mouth and revealed an even darker darkness within. This darkness also engulfed me, but then I was suddenly back in my apartment. I was lying on the ground, bow still in hand, and I could hear Trina's voice calling my name as she shook my body back and forth.

"Fisk…wake up!" she yelled, worry in her voice

"What happened?" I asked, trying to play it off as I passed out

"I came to pick you up and take you to Black Stone for the mission, but you were passed out on the floor with this weird bow in your hand" she replied, plucking the black and gold item from my palm

"What kind of bow is it?" she asked

"I'm not sure…it was in the closet. Listen, after this mission, I'll be resigning" I said, sitting up

"What?! Why would you do that? We were just getting into our-" I cut her off

"I'm sorry, but I have to go back to china for something very important…something I'd forgotten about after Beth died. And there can't be an "us" anymore. I've got someone very special back home waiting for me" I said, trying to sound as sincere as possible

"I see…" she said, letting her ears drop and looking at the ground

"And I need you to promise me two things" I said, grabbing her attention again

"Anything" she replied

"One: you need to take my position as Chief. And two: you've got to make sure Officer Tank is kept safe" I said

"Of course"

"Let's go. I've got to take this guy out" I said, standing up, and pulling Trina up, grabbing my bow from her

"I want you to take my gun. I won't need it" I said, unclipping my belt and handing it to her

"Yes you will…all these people we're up against will have guns!" she exclaimed like I was crazy, stepping back

"I need you to trust me on this. I'm not gonna need it because they won't be able to hit me" I said, tossing it to her

She was silent for a few moments before nodding. After I slung my bow over my shoulder, we went out to her car, which held three other armed officers in the back seat. We raced, sirens blaring, to a tall building made of everything black. Even tinted windows. The S.W.A.T. has surrounded the building already, along with about twenty police men and women. When we parked, I got out and rushed over to the S.W.A.T. captain and tapped on his shoulder.

"What's the story?" I asked

"And who the hell are you to be asking this, Bow?" he asked. I ignored his smug comment about my bow

"Chief of police, Fisk Thompson, the one in charge here. Now let's try this again: what's the story?" I asked again, giving this pit bull a glair. He was easy to intimidate since he was two inches shorter than me

"My apologies, sir. We have the building surrounded, nobody has come out, but there was some shooting on arrival. We're definitely in the right place" he replied

"Listen, and listen carefully. These are your orders: stay out here, let nobody except me in or out. I'm going in" I said

"Alone, sir?" he asked

"If you know anything about me, I can handle myself. Just follow those orders" I said, then began my walk towards the front door

Upon reaching three meters away, I began sprinting. I broke through the glass window and was instantly dodging bullets from ten armed people. They were all using the same brand semi-auto assault rifle. I targeted the closest assailant and ran at him. I covered the distance between us in less than a second, doing a spin kick to knock aside his gun while at the same time dodging other bullets. For the ones I couldn't dodge, I secretly used my Xing energy to deflect them. After I'd knocked his gun from his hands, I grabbed him and threw him at the next closest thug. They collided skull on skull and both lay unconscious on the ground. I then removed my bow from my back and spun it around like a staff, knocking aside bullets as I engaged two more. When I was close enough, I ducked and used my bow to sweep their feet from underneath them. As I continued my attack, I took them out. In a blur of black, gold, and red sparks, they were all unconscious at my feet. This all took place in a short fifteen seconds. I gave the people outside a "thumbs up" saying I was ok, and then made a break for the stairwell.

This was a building made as a fort. Each floor had a separate stairwell going up and down, meaning I would have to go through each floor. When I barged in the door to the second floor, I was met by so called "ninjas" who carried swords and threw spiked metal throwing stars at me. I ran at them, bow in hand, and fell to my knees, sliding under the blades that aimed to separate my head from my shoulders. I quickly got up and twisted around, using my Xing energy to push them into the wall ten feet away, and knocking them out. I then ran for the next stairwell. With each floor came a different brand of enemy, all of which I overcame easily. In the past I wouldn't have been so amazed at my skill, but having not used it in months I felt incredible. They couldn't lay a finger on me. Forty stories and well over 100 foes later, I found myself at a heavily armored last door. I had to use my bow to blast through the door. And it took some energy, too. The door seemed reinforced with some dark energy. Upon entry, I caught site of a large fat orange cat, sitting in a big red throne with a large picture of the face I saw in my vision on the wall behind him. I noticed he was sitting in a separate room, blocked off by a wall and a large window. I ran for the window, jumping at it with the aim to break through. Upon contact, I was thrown back, tumbling into the wall on the far side of the room.

"You won't break through that" I heard from beside me

When I opened my eyes to look, I saw a figure that seemed made of darkness. He was large, about an inch taller than me, and very well-muscled. He wore only what looked like silk pants. I stood up and got into a defensive position, bow still in hand. He looked to be in the shape of a Leopard, but I wasn't sure.

"I've covered that wall and window with a dark barrier. Only way to get through is to defeat me, and how can you do that when your master can't?" he asked, followed by an evil laugh

"What are you talking about?" I asked, sincerely confused by his words

"Years ago, I fought your master right after defeating the furious five. In the end, he ran screaming from me! Even he feared my might, and I was only killed by a fat panda! But in your kind's words, I was too powerful to stay dead. Now I seek revenge, but your kind stands in my way. I kill and to strengthen my master, so he can one day regain enough strength to return. He is the one who will gain revenge on your kind, but I will have my vengeance on the Dragon Warrior!" he yelled, then got into his own fighting position

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" he exclaimed menacingly

"You are the phantom that has the honor of being my first to kill!" I yelled

"I am Tai Lung!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 13

"I am Tai Lung!"

Right after screaming his own name, he lunged. He definitely either under estimated me, or over-estimated himself, because his attack left him wide open. He got close enough and threw a punch directly as my face. I ducked under his flying arm, grabbing his wrist with one arm while throwing my other elbow into his gut. After that, I pivoted underneath him and lifted him above me, throwing him into the glass. He only hit it and fell down, landing on his feet and holding his chest in pain.

"I expected more from the great Tai Lung" I said, shrugging my bullet proof vest off my shoulders and onto the ground

"Oh, were you actually trying? I was just warming up" he said, trying to intimidate

I only laughed, "That's good. I was about to get disappointed"

With that, he lunged once more, this time faster. He threw a kick to my head, but I blocked it, countering by sweeping his other leg from underneath him. He caught himself with his arms, fighting while doing a hand stand. This time he managed to kick me in the chest, sending me flying into the wall. The blow also ruffled my hair, so it hung messy in front of my face. I got up off the ground and looked at him in anger. As if on cue, thunder boomed outside. I could hear the sound of autumn rain on the window. I grabbed my bow from off the ground beside me and lunged, swinging it at his face. He leaned back as I expected he would, so I send a chop to his front. This knocked him to the ground. He was quick to his feet, rolling backwards before I could slam my foot down on his dark chest. He definitely didn't fight like the phantoms that were explained to me by Sky. When he got to his feet, he just stood there, grinning evilly.

"I've been waiting to once again fight a Xing, and you haven't yet run like your master did. I'm impressed at what is either courage or stupidity. Tell me why it is that you stay and fight" he commanded

"I'm sworn to defeat any phantom I come across, and the bastard you are protecting has cost the life of a friend, and the legs of another. They will be avenged" I replied, then charged with a battle cry

I plowed into him and forced him back and out the window. He broke through with ease, falling down. I felt good…my first battle with a phantom and I'd won. I turned around to go retrieve my vest, but then I heard a voice behind me.

"Don't tell me you're giving up" he said

I turned around to see Tai Lung, suspended in mid-air. He was flying! Well, two can play at that game. I ran for the broken window, jumping out and focusing on the control I had. I was then flying with him out in the lukewarm rain. We then engaged in mid-air battle. With no ground or building to limit us, I let loose. I raised my bow and aimed at him, being a few meters away he couldn't close the distance in time. I pulled back the string and charged up my favored attack.

"Call to the solar comet, HA!" I let go of the string

The bolt flew at him with such speed, he couldn't avoid. He wasn't very well practiced at flying, that much was clear.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" he exclaimed just before being hit

His body lit up, turning a grey color before disappearing completely. I let out a roar, signaling my victory. I surprisingly heard applause beneath me. When I looked, I discovered that a crowd had gathered, watching the display of light and power. I was amazed that they were applauding instead of running. They must have thought it was just a performance. I ignored it for now, flying back into the building and finding that the fat cat rat was still there. At first he smiled, but when he realized I had won, his look turned to fear. I used one punch to break through the class barrier, jumping through the hold and pulling him out of the chair.

"Hēi'àn will return, and your kind will be defeated!" he yelled in my face, alcohol in his breath

"Keep thinking that, pal. You're going away, Rat" I replied, then dragged him over to the broken window

I repeated the process of what I'd done with Beth's killer, tossing him out then jumping out with him. When I landed with ease, I caught him, putting him on the ground beside me.

"It's all clear. Go in and detain the rest of them" I said, but was quickly silenced by guns being aimed at me

"What the hell are you?" the S.W.A.T. captain asked

"Someone who only seeks to do good. Trust me, you don't want to attack. Trina, where are you?" I asked, looking around

"Here" I heard an unsure voice say, followed by her walking slowly out to me

"This is why I can't stay. That thing I was fighting up there was a being more powerful than anything but my kind can defeat. I came here to train, but lost sight of my goal. Now I have to return and prepare for more of them" I said, "You are chief now. I have to go" I finished, and then wrapped her in a hug

Without another word, I broke the hug and took to flight, being applauded as I flew back to my apartment. When I arrived, I went in and packed the leather bag full of my stuff. My old silk cloths, the pictures, and my money. I then grabbed my guitar and left, locking the door behind me and leaving the key on the ground. But before I could make it to the street, a police car with sirens blaring drove up to the curb beside me, and then shut down all its electronics and engine. Trina quickly stepped from the car.

"You aren't going anywhere until I get a better explanation!" she yelled

I didn't bother to argue. I sat her down in the car and explained everything. The entire history of the Xing, my master, the phantoms, and me…the entire reason I couldn't be with her, and the reason I had to go home. When I was done, we sat there in silence for a few moments before I stood up and said goodbye, bowing as was tradition back in China. But before I turned to walk away, she stood up and grabbed my arm, forcing me to look at her.

"Just one for the road" she said, confusing me

My confusion left me when she grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me into a kiss. I decided to honor what she wanted as a goodbye and kissed her back. It didn't last long, for I had to get home as quickly as possible. After I once again bowing, I took to flight and headed for the harbor. It didn't take me long to arrive, but it definitely was harder finding a boat to China. I eventually spotted a boat carrying ingredients from China, and the goose driving wore silk robes. I jogged over to him quickly.

"Hey, sir! Are you heading to Chine after this?" I asked upon reaching him on the dock

"Wǒ bù huì shuō yīngyǔ, xiānshēng" he replied, speaking Chinese

I had to focus to switch my brain back over to my native language.

"My apologies. I've been living here too long. I asked if you'd be returning to china?" I asked

"Yes, of course! I'll be making a few stops along the way, but yes. Why do you ask?" he asked in reply

"I was wondering if you could provide me transport me back to the mother land. I'd be happy to pay you if it is required" I said

"I'd be happy to give you a ride! But my fee is not something to laugh at. Can you afford?" he asked

"I can pay. I only have American money on me now, when we arrive in china I can give you the money in Yuan" I replied

"Ok, then right now I expect five hundred American dollars, and when we get back in china I expect 1000 Yuan" he said, crossing his wings across his chest

I nodded and pulled the money from my bag, handing it to him. He let a smile come across his beak and motioned for me to come aboard. I thanked him and jumped over the rail onto his boat. It was a Chinese style boat, similar to the one I rode here on. After setting sail, I learned that his name was Ling, and that he was a trade merchant, bringing Chinese foods to foreign lands and bringing back foreign things. I told him no more than my name and what I'd be doing throughout the trip home. I was planning to walk into town performing a song on my guitar, but I only knew American songs, so to fit the rhythm of the song but also singing in Chinese, I had to change certain lines and rearrange some. I did this through the long trip home. It took longer than the trip here, meaning while on the sea I turned twenty. I also did my normal fighting-off-the-storms thing, as it turned to winter while I was traveling. I could tell when we were getting close, because I could smell the fried rice and dumplings. My mouth was watering already. When we docked in the same dock as when I left, I grabbed my bow and secretly created the Yuan. I gave it to Ling and said my goodbye's before grabbing my things and leaving the dock. I took to flight and headed for my first stop: Gongmen City. I had to see the progress the Wu Sisters had made since I left. It took about a half hour to arrive, give or take, and I quickly fest singled out as I walked into town. I was still wearing my blue jeans and a white t-shirt, so I stood out in the crowd. I was walking through the lower parts of the city, and was disappointed to find that it was still full of crime.

"Does anyone know where I can find the Wu Sisters?" I asked loudly, making everyone look at me and start whispering to each other

"Is he crazy?"

"He's calling out the Wu Sisters!"

"He is so dead"

All these whispers were silenced when I heard three distinct thumps behind me. I turned around and saw three familiar Snow Leopards walking towards me.

"Right here, stranger. And if you aren't looking to die, I suggest you not call us out" Wing said

"What business do you have with us?" Wan asked

"And speak with care" Su concluded

I did my best to comically look hurt, pretending to have a broken heart by holding my left paw up to my chest.

"I'm wounded! How could you treat your returned friend in such a way?" I asked, making them look confused

"Do we know you?" Su asked, stepping forward

"I wouldn't think you'd forget, but I was a lot smaller and younger. Just a simple act of kindness" I hinted

When I said that, their eyes went wide. They then all ran towards me and wrapped me in a tight hug, which I quickly returned.

"Fisk, it's so good to see you!" Wing said

"Very! How'd it go? Did you learn what you wanted to?" Su asked

"Yes, give us details!" Wan commanded

"Yes, I learned everything I needed to learn, plus a few extras! I thought I'd drop by and see how you three were doing before I went back to the valley of peace. How have things been going?" I asked

"Well, we aren't wanted by the Emperial Guard anymore, but people still fear us, so all in all things are amazing!" Su exclaimed

"Well, that's great! I'm sorry, but I can't stay for long. I need to get home and discuss some important matters with my master. I must go" I said, earning sad looks from the sisters

"Ok, but you must visit soon!" Wan said, hugging me again, followed by the other two

"Yes" Su and Wing said in unison

"I will. Goodbye!" I said as I broke the hug and took to flight, heading in the direction of the valley of peace

I flew slowly on the way there, taking the scenery back into my memory. Gongmen Harbor, the Bamboo Forest, the mountains, even the graveyards. It was all still the same, save for some new and missing trees, new graves, and replaced bridges. When I reached the Bamboo Forest, I started walking. I found the path that led into town and began my walk, making sure my guitar was tuned. I stopped just shy of the tree line. I could see the town up ahead, covered in Snow and crawling with people. Some kids I didn't recognize and older people that I remembered being younger. I took a deep breath, and then began strumming on my guitar as I walked into town. I quickly grabbed the attention of the kids, who followed me through town. I then began singing. I walked through town, skipping to the beat and was followed by a chain of little children who liked hearing me play. I could hear people who recognized me saying "He's back!" and could see them smiling. I continued to move through town, beginning to whistle in the part that calls for it. I kept moving until I reached the base of the stairs that led to the Jade Palace, where I stopped and just played for my audience. I did this until I reached the final chorus, at which point I kept going up the stairs. The adults stayed at the bottom, but the kids kept following me up the stairs. They were smiling and laughing, bringing joy to my heart as I kept walking, twirling around with some dance moves as I sang. I had to be careful not to slip on ice. The cold wasn't bothering me as I skipped up the stairs, nearly to the top. When I reached the top, I had just concluded the song. The gate was closed, so I sat at the base of the stairs and continued to play for the kids. I played a couple more songs without words until I heard the gate open. I didn't turn around, but I looked at the kids' faces. They had looks of fear, and they quickly ran down the stairs screaming. I then felt a spear tip touch my back.

"Stand up slowly" I heard a female voice, and did as it commanded

"Turn around" she said. I complied

I turned around to find a wolf, about an inch shorter than me, holding a spear at my chest. I instantly identified her as Syrina, but was amazed at how her looks hadn't changed since I left.

"Syrina?" I asked for clarification

"Syrina was my mother, and she's no longer here. Now you must deal with me or my father. What is your business with us?" she asked

"Niki" I said, looking at her with amazement

"How do you know my name?" she asked, letting the spear drop to one hand dangling at her side

Without words, I moved to wrap her in a hug, lost in my moment of disbelieve. She wasn't so lost, though, as she used a spin kick to knock me aside. She then once again raised the spear.

"You've got three seconds to tell me who you think you are and then I'm going to run you through" she said, stepping towards where I lay on the ground

"Last I checked I was a close friend of yours, just returning from America" I replied, getting up off the ground

"Fisk" she whispered to herself, dropping the spear and rushing over to me, wrapping me in a hug, which I quickly returned

We stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity, enjoying each-others warm embrace. I never wanted to leave this position, but had to when I heard another familiar wolf's voice at the gate.

"Niki, what did I tell you about the strange boys?" he asked angrily as he stomped over

"Collin, I'm hurt! You've called me many things but never strange" I joked, stopping him in his tracks as he recognized me, making me smile

He then came over and embraced me in a guy hug, which I returned.

"It's good to see you, Fisk!" he said

"You too, man! Did you get shorter?" I asked, comparing our sizes

"Yeah, getting old does that! Come inside, the others need to know you've returned!" he said, leading me inside

Niki was quickly on my opposite side, wrapped around my arm. I could hear people training in the training hall, and I could hear Po snoring in the barracks. It was early in the morning, so it was normal for him to still be asleep. Collin left to go get him and Shifu while Niki went into the training hall to train and act like nothing was up. We planned to make them think I was an intruder, just to see how well they'd react to someone invading. I took my position on the roof of the training hall, waiting for everyone to run out into the court yard, including Sky. He saw me on the roof immediately, but knew who I was. He could sense my energy as I sensed his, and he smiled ad winked. I winked back and got ready to charge into the group of people. Po, Shifu, The Furious Five, Collin, Niki, and even Lucy were there waiting and searching for the intruder. I could hear them strategizing.

When all their backs were turned, I lunged. I started by hitting Tigress and Po from the back. They were knocked forward while Shifu and the rest attacked me from all sides. I left my bow attached to my back, since if I used it, it wouldn't be fair. I grabbed ahold of Monkey and used him as a projectile to knock Crane away before grabbing Lucy and using her as a shield against Mantis, who was once again using his giveaway battle cry. I was careful not to hurt my nineteen year old sister as I tossed her aside, while ducking an attack by Shifu. I then spun around and backhanded Viper, leaving only Shifu, Niki, Collin, and Sky standing. They all, save for Sky, attacked at once. I jumped over Shifu while doing a split and kicking away Collin and Niki. They didn't get back up, acting unconscious. When Shifu came at me for a third time, I twisted around and spin kicked him away.

"Everyone stop, he's too strong for you!" Sky exclaimed, acting along as he slowly removed his dual spear from his back

I copied him and removed my bow, preparing for his move. He charged at me, spear held in one hand behind his back while his other hand was held in front, ready to defend. When he was close enough, I went on the offensive. I used my bow as a staff and began attacking, having my blows blocked each time. He eventually tried to counter, but I was too fast. He went to take my head off with his spear, but I ducked and lunged with a powerful fist to his gut, making him stumble back. I didn't give him a chance to retaliate, running at him and lifting him above my head. I threw him high into the air, but he never fell. He continued to fly, and I could sense him charging up a powerful attack.

"Power of the ancestors, HA!" he yelled, and I saw a rainbow beam headed straight at me

I was unfazed as I took aim and charged up my latest attack, pulling back the string.

"Solar flash!" I yelled, then released the string

Our attacks met at the midway point between us, each one fighting for dominance. But mine was definitely stronger as it quickly pushed his back. Eventually his disappeared and my attack enveloped him, or so it seemed. At first glance it looked like he was destroyed, but he used his Xing energy to teleport back to the ground, out of sight behind a pillar. Everyone looked with sadness in their eyes, except for Niki and Collin. I saw some tears fall from Po's eyes, making me laugh.

"Are those tears for me, Po?" I heard Sky ask as he stepped into view, walking over to me

"Welcome home, Fisk" he said, then embraced me in a hug

Everyone else, even Shifu looked confused. Lucy wasn't confused for long as she accepted the simple truth that it was me. She ran over and leaped into my arms. She was very small compared to me, so it was like cradling a cub. It didn't take long for the rest to follow, save for Shifu and Tigress, as I was buried in people, all welcoming me home. When I got un-buried, I walked into the building which held the kitchen, wanting Po to whip me up some delicious Noodle Soup. He did without me even asking while everyone else sat around the table and waited for me to describe my trip. Po lost interest after the part about the Wu Sisters ended, and continued to make the food. I had to continuously swallow as the smell made my mouth water. When I told them about the phantoms returning is when everyone stopped having fun and started getting serious, especially when I said I fought Tai Lung.

"And what of Hēi'àn? Is he to return?" Sky asked

"I regret to say yes. People are killing for the soul purpose of making him strong enough to come back and defeat you and every Xing there is" I replied

The table was silent. It was a bit too stale for Monkey and Mantis's taste, because they began telling jokes and making everyone laugh.

"Stop being so serious!" Monkey said

"Yeah, our friend is back, lighten up!" Mantis agreed

This successfully lightened the mood of the room, taking people's minds off the danger and causing the subject to change. I listened to the stories of what I missed while I ate my soup, savoring each and every drop as they rolled on my tung and down my throat. Apparently, crime had been low in the valley since I left. The croc bandits, Tong Fo, and that ox dude were the only people who did anything.

"So, Fisk, why don't we get you back into some Silk clothes instead of whatever else you're wearing. Come on down to the market" Niki said, getting up, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the kitchen and all the way to the stairs before I stopped her

"Man, it's good to be home. How'd it get dark so fast?" I asked, looking at the sky and seeing the full moon and numerous stars

"You arrived late in the day. Didn't you notice?" she asked

"I must still be on American time" I said

"Don't you just love the night sky?" Niki asked, looking up at the stars and moon

I thought about her words. She likes the night sky, so maybe I should give her a better view.

"Let's get a closer look" I said, sweeping her up into my arms bridal-style and flying up into the air, making her shriek

After we got a good distance from the ground, I slowed my accent, until I was just hovering. Niki's vision was locked on the moon and stars. She didn't even notice me staring. _She's so beautiful tonight. She's not the same little wolf cub I left behind._ While I was lost in thought, I still felt it when Niki cuddled closer into my chest. I could feel my heart rate speed up, and a warmness crept up in my heart, replacing the cold that was there. I felt contempt in ways I couldn't explain. We stayed like this for what felt like hours until clouds began to block out the moon and stars, at which point I flew back down and into town. When I landed, I put Niki down, but she surprised me by turning around and hugging me tightly. I didn't object, but returned the hug as warmly as possible.

"I missed you" she said after a few moments

"I missed you too. But I'm home now, and don't you ever think I'll ever leave again" I replied, making her hug me even tighter

"I'll kill you if you do" she said

After a few more moments in the hug, she lifted her head from my chest and pulled away. She again surprised me, though, but jumping at me and wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling me into a kiss which I quickly returned. I pulled her in closer by putting my arms underneath hers and wrapping them around her back. After a few moments of passionately kissing, we broke for much needed air.

"Welcome back" she said, laughing

I also laughed as she led me down the stone brick pathway into a late-night market, where she led me into a booth that sold cloths. There, she picked out a tight, long-sleeved tan Kung Fu shirt. It had no ties on the front as it was meant to be a slip-on shirt. She then picked me out a pair of black silk pants like I used to wear, but bigger so they fit my larger body. I grabbed myself a pair of Kung Fu shoes and paid for all the items before we began to walk towards mine and Lucy's house. At that point, Niki said her goodbye's and rushed back up the stairs to the Jade Palace. When I walked in, I found that everything was exactly the way I'd left it. Lucy must have worked hard not to change anything. My first order of business was to bathe. I took my new clothes and went into the wash room, where I started the water. I left for the tub to fill while I went into my bedroom to change and try on the clothes. The pants fit well, along with the shoes. The shirt was tight fitting, as it was meant to be to show off the muscles. The shirt also had two gauntlets attacked to the wrists. They were simply two leather wrist bands which covered half my lower arm, and were studded with steal buds. After trying out all my cloths, I went into the bathroom to find the tub nearly full of steaming water. I quickly stripped off my cloths and stepped into the hot water, turning off the faucet when it was full. I only took a quick bath, scrubbing the dirt, fish scales, and sweat from my fur. After that I went to bed and fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep…


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 14

I woke the next morning to the sound of a crash outside. The sun was already out, so I assumed I overslept. I got up and grabbed my bow off the table beside my bed, slinging it over my shoulder. I was about to yawn when I heard another crash, followed by a grunt unique to a dragon-themed panda. I shot up quickly and ran out the door to find Po fighting an owl, while the rest of the five lay on the ground, unmoving. Po seemed nearly defeated as the owl continuously attacked using techniques and moves unknown to me. It even used a special energy to attack…energy not of Xing, but not of darkness either. Po was on his knees, unable to get up as she was about to finish him when I saw a blur of a wolf knock her from the air.

"Back down Fenghuang, you can't win! I beat you before!" Niki said, getting into a flawless fighting stance

"That was a fluke and you know it! Nobody defeats me!" the owl yelled as she again took flight

I watched, unable to move as Niki dodged endless energy balls, bending backwards and jumping while flipping over them. It was amazing how skilled she'd become in battle. I became lost in thought, no longer aware of the battle taking place right in front of me. That was until I heard the grunt of Niki, taking me from my trance. All I saw was Niki fall to the ground, clenching her…well, everything. I instantly sprang into action, rushing to her side. Upon seeing me, she partially grinned.

"Would've been good to see you a few minutes ago" she grunted out

"I'll take it from here" I said, standing up and facing the owl I identified as Fenghuang

"And who is this buffoon?" she asked, looking at me

"Someone to be feared" I heard Po say behind me

"Oh really? We'll see" she said quietly, getting ready to fight

I removed my bow and dropped it at Niki's side, preparing to join the owl in flight. Before I could, though, she sent another energy ball flying at me. I knew if I dodged, it would hit Niki, so I absorbed. I stuck my hand out and caught it, slowly allowing the strange energy to flow into me. All it did was dissipate into my Xing, so I couldn't summon it. Fenghuang stared wide eyed at me, then gasped as I began flying into the air. Before I even got into a defensive position, she screamed and flew away. Her reaction was unexpected and nearly knocked me out of the air. I shrugged it off and flew back down to the five, Po, and Niki.

"Sky isn't around, can you fix us up?" Tigress asked, barely conscious

"Yeah. I think I can heal you guys up alright" I replied, then closed my eyes and began to focus

I detected each of their unique energies, sending my healing energy into the light draped over their bodies. It healed them quickly, and surprisingly didn't drain me very much. I wasn't surprised, though, when even though I healed him, Po remained asleep on the ground. Everyone else stood up and began thanking me for the help.

"You got here in just the nick of time" Viper said as she got herself untangled from a pole

"Isn't that what heroes do?" I asked, helping her get out of a knot

"Yeah-HEY! WATCH THE HANDS!" she screamed as I pulled her out

"Sorry!" I apologized, moving back as she stared angrily at me

"Give him a break, it's not like it's easy to tell where your parts are" Niki said, wrapping around me left arm and hugging it

Everyone but Viper laughed, while she just continued watching me, but not as angrily. Eventually she laughed as well, and then we all walked up to the Jade Palace. I didn't say anything, but I was curious as to what those moves were that Fenghuang was using. I decided it best that I consult Master Shifu for answers. Upon reaching the end of the seemingly endless stairs, we all saw that Shifu was waiting for us, a rare look of joy on his face.

"Po, you did it! You sent Fenghuang on the run! I'm so proud, Dragon Warrior!" he said, rushing over to Po, who smiled and was about to start bragging, but Tigress cleared her throat and glanced at me

Po sighed, then confessed, "It wasn't me who scared her off. Fisk got there just in time to save all our skins. Congratulate him" Po said, hanging his head in short lived defeat before rushing off to the kitchen

"Well then, it's no surprise she couldn't compare to you. Good work, Fisk. I'll be sure to have you train with them to hone their skills with otherworldly energies" Shifu said, glancing at everyone who remained, all looking ashamed

"That reminds me, may I speak with you, Master? Some questions require answers, and for help with my research I seek out you for guidance" I said, trying to sound formal and flattering to get the best help possible

I heard Monkey snicker behind me as Shifu nodded and motioned me to follow him. He led me away from the main courtyard and to the Hall of Heroes, where he then led me into a room near the back and down some stairs. I couldn't help but feel that the amount of stairs in this valley alone equals the amount of stairs throughout America. He led me into an underground chamber he called the sacred archives, which held endless cases of scrolls.

"In these archives lies every secret and legend of Kung Fu. Even the more recent ones, like Po acquired. You'll probably read about it in your studies. Now, what questions needed answers?" Shifu asked

"Those attacks the owl was using…they were of an energy I couldn't decipher. Not Xing, but also not that of which the Phantoms use. I assumed they must be of origin of the martial art Tai Chi, the control of bodily energy. But I'd like to further study it" I answered, making him look partially dazed

"Well, I haven't a clue about the Tai Chi bit, but the moves Fenghuang used were five of the seven Unmasterable Techniques. They are based off controlling the flow of energy within the body, so you could be right, but studying this particular topic won't be so easy. You'd have to start as far back as the legend of Oogway and Ke Pa, lord of the demons. That is the first scroll, and where Oogway mastered the energy within to defeat a powerful foe. I'll leave you to your studies" he concluded, then handed me a torch from off the wall

He then left me in the dim glow of the torch, alone to study. I decided to start by taking the long way and carefully reading each scroll one by one. The first scroll was interesting. Dark beings, yet not Phantoms, rose from beneath, and tried to overtake the entire planet, but Oogway used a gift bestowed upon him called The Heroes Chi, only bestowed once every generation. Oogway defended the valley, along with the Sacred Peach Tree, but hadn't yet defeated the leader of the demons, Ke Pa. nearly defeated, Oogway saw no hope, but the peach tree was more than it seemed. It restored his energy, and helped him to banish Ke Pa and his demon hoard back into the underworld. Oogway then used the last of his Heroes Chi to put a seal over the gateway to the underworld, trapping the demons there, but Ke Pa was trapped as a pig here in what the scroll called the middle world. I was amazed at just how sacred that peach tree really was, and how much Oogway really sacrificed for the world. After reading through many more scrolls, I found that it was taking too long. I'd be dead before I finished reading all these scrolls. I put all of the scrolls back in their original places, then move each case to where they formed a circle around me. I then sat crisscross dead in the center, closed my eyes, and began to meditate.

"Ancestors…bring me knowledge" I spoke ten times, and then slipped into something of a trance

In my trance, I slowly went through each and every scroll, seeing each lesson and move and scroll in a vision, instead of words on paper. The Americans would call this "Downloading information", but to me it was just super-advanced reading. As this continued, real time wasn't moving at all. For every 100 scrolls I read, only a few seconds passed, but for me it seemed like each scroll to a half hour to forty five minutes. I eventually reached the part about back when Shifu was part of a previous Furious Five, and of this group of skilled warriors, the most powerful was an owl. Her name was Fenghuang, and though she was part of a group of heroes, her need for power led her to continuing a chain of betrayals. She, like the past most powerful of the Furious Five, turned evil and sought to become the greatest warrior known. In her search to become most powerful, she somehow mastered moves and techniques thought impossible to master. There were seven, in total, and she mastered five. After studying for a few hours, I'd gone through every scroll in the archives. I fully understood how the moves were done, and knew they were dangerous.

After putting each case back in its proper position, I made my way back up the stairs. The sun was now at its highest point in the sky and beginning to descend as I exited the building I was in. I couldn't find anyone around as I searched. Nobody in the training hall, or the kitchen. There wasn't a single trace of them in the area. I couldn't even sense their life force. My confusion was set aside when I found a cloak, and not the kind you wear, either. I could sense a nearly non-existent Xing Energy Field over one general area, and, using my own Xing Energy, I lifted the cloak, revealing everyone who lives in the palace. I then heard Sky begin to applaud me.

"I never thought anyone could ever detect my energy cloak. Amazing!" he said as he moved from behind a building

"It wasn't the easiest thing to find, but America gave me practice detecting energies" I replied, walking up to him and bowing in respect

He bowed back as everyone began coming from around the same building. Lucy decided to act like a little kid and climbed up my body onto my shoulders, laughing the whole way. I also laughed. She was now barely tall enough to have her ears reach my knee, so to me she was the size of a sack of flour. When I managed to get her off, I saw Niki looking at me with distant eyes. I waved my hand at her, but she was lost in thought, an odd smile on her face. Eventually, Collin called her name and tapped her shoulder, bringing her from her trance and making her seem confused.

"What, what happened?" she asked, making everyone laugh

"You were daydreaming, sweety" Collin said, making her blush

"Was it noticeable?" she asked

"Not really…you were only staring at Fisk with a love-struck smile on your face while none of us could get your attention" Monkey said, then he, Mantis, and Po broke out laughing

Her blush, which shined through her gray facial fur, spread across her entire face, and she looked somewhat hurt from Monkey's comment

"Cool it, you three. Everything has it's time, and that wasn't the time for that joke" I said

"But it was so funny!" Po exclaimed through laughter as he rolled on the ground

I looked at Niki, who clearly looked hurt and I could sense the negative vibe coming off of her. They were really hurting her feelings.

"Don't make me get mad, guys. You really won't like it" I warned, making them stop

"Your right. We're sorry, Niki" Mantis said

"Yeah, sorry you love Fisk too much to stay in reality!" Po exclaimed, then he alone continued laughing

At this comment, Niki stormed off, angry and hurt. Collin chased after her, but he was soon rolling down the stairs he chased her up. At this, I got very angry. Po was on the ground once again, directly between me and the main gates. Before anyone could see what had happened, I had already thrown Po across the courtyard, out the gates, and could hear him bouncing down the stairs.

"Now laugh at Po while I go talk to her. And don't think you two are off the hook" I said to Mantis and Monkey, then nodded to Shifu before rushing up the stairs to Niki's room

I could hear her quietly crying as I approached her door. I was going to quietly knock on the door, but I stepped on a squeaky board and heard her gasp.

"Just leave me alone! I get it, I'm a love struck idiot, now just leave me be!" she yelled

I didn't move. I was contemplating whether I should go in or leave her alone. I decided to go in, and hope for the best. I walked over and cracked the door open.

"It's me…can I come in?" I asked

"Oh…uh, yeah, sure" she said, not all that convincing

I walked in and closed the door behind me. Her room had changed since the last time I'd been in there. I could still remember crying at her bedside after blasting her accidentally when I was ten. Now, it wasn't as colorful. It contained what all the other rooms contained. One cot, a mat, and a cabinet for cloths.

"Hey" I said, walking over and sitting beside her on the cot

Her knees were to her chest and the fur on her cheeks was matted down with her tears. She only looked down when I spoke.

"You okay?" I asked, only getting a shrug in response

"You shouldn't listen to them. They're idiots…and if it makes you feel any better, I sent Po bouncing down the stairs. He's maybe halfway down by now" I said, earning a grin

"Good, I'm making progress…you sure have grown up in the past five years" I said

"So have you. Kinda sexy, actually" she said, then quickly face palmed

"I'm sorry, that came out wrong" she quickly said

"Its fine, cuz I was about to say you were rocking some larger items as well" I replied, glancing at her chest and making us both laugh

"What did America do to you?" she asked

"A lot…some for the better and some for the worse. Two people died on account of me…" I said, looking down myself

"I'm so sorry, Fisk. That must have been hard" Niki said, then scooted over and forced me to put an arm around her, cuddling into my chest

"It was…that's why I was gone so long. The first death made me forget about everything here…and the second death led to my remembering" I stated, pulling her close

"Never thought I'd here you say you forgot about me. I always dreamed you'd say that you never would" she said, acting like she was hurt

"Never again, I can promise you that" I said, looking directly at her face and into her light green eyes as she stared back into my golden ones

After about half a second, she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine, a kiss which I quickly returned. It didn't last longer than five seconds though, as I heard Collin clear his throat in the doorway. We quickly broke apart, blushing madly as we looked at him.

"If you don't mind, Fisk, it's sunset. Time to be going to bed, Niki" he said, stepping aside and motioning me to leave

"Right…goodnight Niki" I said, hugging her then standing up to leave

"Night" she replied

I walked passed Collin and he closed the door behind me, but he stopped me before I left the barracks.

"Fisk, you mean a lot to her. She cares for you more than she's ever cared for anyone else ever before" he said

"I care for her too, and I swear, she won't be hurt" I said, taking his words from him

"Thank you" he said, then motioned me permission to leave

I went out and down the stairs, passing Monkey and Mantis as Shifu talked and scolded them. When I got to the main courtyard, the sun had fully gone down. I entered the courtyard just as Po came through the main gate, moaning in pain as he limped passed me. After I got to the bottom, I went home. Lucy was already in bed when I walked into the bedroom, her little body spread out on her side. Without waking her, I laid down beside her, removing my bow and shirt before laying back and drifting into a peaceful sleep, slowly making plans for the next day.

I woke up bright and early, careful not to wake Lucy. I put on my shirt, then grabbed my bow and slung it around my back. I went into the living room and did some morning stretches to wake up. The sun wasn't even peaking over the mountains, yet, leaving the morning with a pail grey look. There was no movement outside…not even bugs. I could faintly hear my loud neighbor talking in his sleep, and I could smell Mr. Ping beginning to cook up the soup before opening time. After a few minutes of stretching, I began preparing the morning fruit tea and rice balls for breakfast. Lucy came out while I was cooking and yawned a "good morning".

"Good morning to you too" I replied, laughing a bit

"Any plans for today?" she asked, setting the table

"Yeah, I was gonna see if Niki was busy at all today. If not, then I was gonna take her to see if the Ladies of the Shade are performing today" I replied

"Ok. If you need to find me at all, I'm spending the day in town with Li-Yang" she said

"You're still with him? You guys must be doing well" I said, making her look proud

"Yeah, it started as I was just helping him come back after a life of stealing for some armadillo dude, but we got really close. We've been in a serious relationship since you left" she stated proudly

"Cool. I'll have to officially meet him soon" I said

"You didn't already?" she asked as we sat at the table with our breakfast

"Flying him around without even getting a good look at his face doesn't count" I replied, putting three rice balls on each of our plates

After she laughed, we ate quickly. She ate fast enough to rival Po, and right as she finished, there was a knock at the door. She said she needed to brush her fur really quick, and told me to let him in. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the door. I opened it and he stared at me wide eyed. He was wearing the same thing all the bunnies wore, and his plush fur was grey, unlike Lucy's, which was ivory. His cloths weren't exactly flattering, but for someone of his past, I would expect such. We sat in an awkward silence until Lucy finally came out, looking like one beautiful ball of cotton.

"Hey Li, ready to go?" she asked

"You know it. Can't wait to start a day with you" he replied, making Lucy blush through her cotton fur

"Alright, see you later, Lucy" I said as I opened the sliding door for them

"Bye, Fisk!" she replied, then like a flash, they were gone

After a few minutes more of stretching, I made sure I had everything, which was only a bag of money and my bow, and I was out the door no slower than Lucy had gone. When I was outside, I took a look around, making sure all was good. Nobody outside, no crimes going on and I was in the clear. The only activity going about was nice shoppers and townsfolk. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing that for once, nothing was going to ruin a relaxing day. After one more look around, I took to flight up to the Jade Palace. I landed at the top of the stairs in front of the sealed gate, which only opens when the morning Gong rings. The sun still wasn't very high up, only partly visible above the mountains in the distance. I didn't want to wait out in the cold, so I jumped high over the gate, landing on the other side. No sooner than I did was Shifu there trying to defend the Palace. It took him a minute to realize it was me in the dim light.

"My apologies, Fisk. After Tamutai, I've been watching that gate carefully" he apologized

"It's fine. Is nobody else awake yet?" I asked

"Only us…the others are in their rooms either sleeping or preparing for the morning gong. Care to join me for the wake-up call?" he asked in reply, getting a nod from me

Together we walked into the barracks. We stood at the end of the hall, simply waiting for the Gong and the normal acts of the morning. It was clear Po was still sleeping, since his door was shaking in unison with his snoring. If I listened carefully, I could her rustling in the other rooms. I could Tigress chanting "Inner Peace" like I was told Po and Shifu had done. It was something I never had to learn, for as a Xing, my inner balance comes from the unison of all living things. That's how we sense the dark energies of the Phantoms. After a few minutes of standing in the silence, arms crossed behind my back, the Gong rang.

"Good morning Master" the five said in unison as they exited their rooms

"Good morning, students. Panda, get up or I'll have Fisk throw you down the stairs over and over again until you miss breakfast!" Shifu yelled, clearly frustrated

Po was quickly out of his room, the fur on his left cheek matted with drool. He nearly broke through his paper door, forcing me to hold back a laugh, but it didn't stop me from smiling goofily.

"Good morning master!" he said quickly, followed by a sigh from Master Shifu

"After breakfast, we'll talk of training. Fisk, if you don't mind, then could you go up to the Sacred Peach tree and get Sky? He'll be aiding in our training today" Shifu requested

"Yes Master" I replied before going outside and flying to the top of the Peach Tree, where Sky hovered, ever focused on the approaching enemy

"Sky?" I asked, grabbing his attention

"Yes, Fisk?" he replied

"Shifu requested you meet them in the training hall after breakfast to aid in training the Five and Po" I said

"Alright, thank you. I'll be down shortly" he said, then continued his watch

I bowed respectfully before flying back down to the kitchen. I walked in to the smell of Bean Buns and Jasmine Tea, and the nice sight of everyone smiling as Po told another one of his exaggerated stories. I leaned against the door frame and listened as he told a story he's probably told a billion times before.

"You might be the scariest bandit in the province, but you're a lousy tipper!" Po said

After that, everyone started chattering amongst themselves until Master Shifu walked in behind me, followed by Sky.

"Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Crane, Viper, Po, you will be training with Sky. He will aid in your training with otherworldly energies. Collin, you and Niki can have the day off today. You've been training harder than anyone since Fisk came back, so you deserve it" Shifu said, then walked out, leaving Sky

I was partially unbelieving…I thought I'd have to bed Shifu to give Niki the day off, but I didn't even ask! I looked at Sky, and saw him smiling at me. When I looked, he sent me a wink and motioned me towards Niki. I mouthed my thanks, realizing he did this. I then walked over to where Niki was sitting next to her father.

"Hey Fisk!" she said, standing up and hugging me

"Hey," I replied, returning the hug

"So, you got the day off, huh?" I asked, still partially unbelieving

"Yeah, and I have no idea how to spend it" she replied

"How about with me?" I asked, silencing everyone in the room

Niki and I looked around, both of us creeped out by the eight pairs of eyes on us. Viper, the most caring of everyone in the group, looked like she was about to cry. She's always been the mother hen of all the people at the Palace, so I guess seeing the ten year old boy she once knew turned into a twenty year old asking out another youngster she once knew was either joyous for her or saddening. Tigress just stared blankly, while Monkey, Mantis, and Po looked to be holding back jokes and snickers. Crane only looked for a moment before returning to his food. Sky had already left, making it seven pairs of eyes. Collin was switching his gaze from me to Niki and back again, waiting for an answer. I turned my attention to the three jokers. Monkey's mouth was open to speak when I looked.

"I suggest you keep the comments to a minimum if you like having teeth" I warned, making him close his mouth

"So," I said, turning my attention back to Niki, "What do you say?"

"Sure, I'd love to. But what will we do all day?" she asked

"I don't know…walk around town, eat food, maybe see a performance or two. I just thought it'd be nice to spend some time together to make up for how long I was gone" I replied

"Alright, just let me get my fur better brushed" she said, then without another word jogged off to her room

The room was then silent. I could here a few snickers come from the lungs of the three comedians, but I ignored it. When everyone finished eating, they went to the training hall, led by Sky. It was suddenly only me and Collin left in the kitchen. He was done eating, but he just sat there waiting for Niki to come back.

"So, what do you really plan to do today?" he asked

"See a Ladies of the Shade performance, eat at Mr. Pings, buy her something nice at the market, and finish the night with something special. The details in between depend on how the day plays out" I replied, making him smirk

"Something special?" he implied, raising an eye brow

"You don't even have to ask to know what I mean" I stated, making him and I both laugh

Just then, Niki walked in. I was stunned! Her hair was taken out of its braid and fell beyond her shoulders to her upper back, and the fur along her face and arms was brushed out perfectly. It was silky smooth just to look at! Her blue eyes contrasted amazingly with her grey fur, and the orange vest added in made it look like something of a sunrise. She was certainly stunning, and I couldn't help but take to mind how much her body matured since I departed for Gongmen City all those years ago. I'm talking perfectly rounded backside, and her front went from flat to just below C Cup. I only marveled at those details for a split second before Collin slapped me upside the head, making Niki laugh. I apologized, blushing beneath the black and white fur on my cheeks.

"It's ok. Shall we?" she asked, motioning to the exit of the room

"Yeah, let's" I replied, walking over and having her interlock our fingers

We walked in silence until we reached the stairs, where we could see the entire village.

"Why don't we take the short way down," I said, and before I got I reply I swept her up into my arms and flew quickly down the stairs, her squealing with glee the entire way down

Upon reaching the bottom, I landed. She told me how much fun that was and then we walked over to where the Ladies of the Shade were doing their Parasol Dance, and I couldn't help but remember what happened the first time I saw one of these shows with Niki. I was swept from my feet and put into the dance unwillingly, but had fun all the same.

As if reading my mind, Niki spoke, "Do you remember what happened the first time we saw one of these shows?"

"Yeah, I was actually just thinking about that. We had better placing in the crowd that day, though. I can barely see anything they're doing" I said, trying to see over the large crowd

"I know! It's kinda disappointing. I like watching them perform" Niki said, looking quite frustrated and down by her disappointment

Feeling bad for her, I picked her up and put her on my shoulders so she could see. She laughed and squealed as I listed her off the ground, bringing a smile to my face. I help her up on my shoulders, sacrificing my view of the show, until the end. I put her back on the ground and she immediately whipped around and rewarded me with a peck on the cheek.

"Let's go get some food. Mr. Pings sound good?" I asked

"Yeah, that sounds perfect" Niki replied, wrapping herself around my right arm as we walked to the said restaurant

Upon walking in we realized that Mr. Ping was having a bad day. The restaurant was near empty…only a pig and her children.

"Oh, Fisk! Good to see you, would you like something?" he asked, walking over and looking hopeful, "I'll give you a discount since you were gone so long"

"No thanks, Mr. Ping. I'll buy full price, as I can see you're having a slow day" I replied, making his eyes light up as he ran back into the kitchen to begin cooking

"Two Secret Ingredient Soups please" Niki yelled to behind the counter

I looked around to find a small table for two, which was quickly found. I led Niki to it, pulling her chair out for her and helping her in, making her smile.

"Thank you" she said

"Of course" I replied, finding my own seat and planting myself down

"So, tell me about your trip. You told us the short version, now tell me in detail" Niki commanded, leaning forward in her chair

"Alright, well, on the boat ride there-"

"Order up!" I was interrupted

I laughed and walked over to the counter, giving Mr. Ping the required payment before taking the two bowls of noodles back to our table. Once I sat back down, I began the story again.

"So, on the boat ride I learned English, and it really wasn't a hard language to learn. When I got into the docks at New York City in America is where the story begins, and where I met Beth. Her bag had been stolen and the thief was running in my direction. I simply grabbed the bag from him and tossed him aside. He wasn't very strong or coordinated. I gave Beth's bag back to her and in return she helped me by telling me where the MMA Gym was, and helping me get some local cloths, which was what I was wearing when I returned. I told her why I came to America, and at first she didn't believe me, but I gave her some proof. After that, she let me stay at her home. I also saved her from someone trying to rape her, and was offered a job on the Police Force, but I declined. The Police are like the Furious Five. They stop crimes all day and risk their skins to save others. After that, she introduced me to Mag and Roy, two of her friends. We had lung together before going shopping, where I was bought my guitar, that instrument I was playing. After that the day was pretty much slow until we went to sleep. After that I went to train in the MMA, where my trainer, Ronny, basically measured my strength before teaching me the basics of MMA. After that, I just trained. Nothing really happened up until my first fight, which was something done publically in sport to decide who is the best fighter. I fought a guy who was undefeated and won without even trying. He didn't really like being beaten so easily, and didn't take it lightly. He tried to kill me, but in an attempt to protect me, Beth was killed. That's when I completely forgot about everything here. I went back and took the job on the Police Force and hunted him down. After catching him, I may have saved three or four lived from a burning building. After being made Captain, I was given two head officers for my squad, Sam and Tank. In the end, I was elected Chief and Sam was killed. She was being blackmailed by someone who had her husband, and she was ordered to kill me. In the process, she killed sixty three officers and injured ten others, including my other officer, Tank. He was paralyzed, and when she tried to come finish me off, she was killed. She managed to give me enough information to know where to find the person in charge of a growing criminal syndicate, and this is where my memory returned. I went back to Beth's apartment to find any weapons we could use to take on these people, and that's where I found my bow, and everything I had brought there from home. That brought all my memories back, and that's when I remembered you. After that, I had the entire Police Force surround the building while I went in and single handedly emptied the building of conscious criminals. But that's where the Phantom Form of Tai Lung attacked. I defeated him and brought the Rat to justice before coming back home" I concluded, also finishing my soup

"Wow" Niki said after a while of silence, "You really had a rough time there"

"Yeah, and I really wish I could've saved the people who died, but Life and Death isn't within my control" I replied, blinking back tears at the memory

On seeing this, Niki stood from her seat and walked around the table, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry" she said, trying to comfort me

"It's okay…let's get off the subject. We're on a date, we should be happy right now" I said, breaking away from the hug and standing up

"Okay…thanks Mr. Ping. See you later!" Niki said, waving to Mr. Ping behind the counter as we walked out hand-in-hand

I then led her to the market as the sun was going down. The entire way there she was bugging me to tell her where we were going, and to mess with her I didn't say. She looked rather disappointed as we walked into the market and just walked around…that is until she saw something at a clothing boutique she liked. She gasped before breaking her grip on my hand just as the moon began to rise. She ran over to the stand and just stared in awe as a silver silk dress hung from a hanger on a bar. It was the only dress they had, and it looked just her size.

"Look at the way it shines in the moonlight!" Niki exclaimed just as I reached her side

"You should get it" I said, trying to figure out her budget

"I could never afford it. Living at the palace is luxury, not wealthy" she said, clearly disappointed in that fact. _Bingo!_

"Hey, how much for the dress?" I asked loudly, grabbing the attention of the pig running the stand

"Oh, that is quite pricy…maybe I could interest you in this lovely-" I stopped him

"I'll pay. Give me a price" I said

"Alright it's…wait a minute, that you Freak?" he asked, making me instantly recognize him

"As I live and breathe…Wang, when did you get out of the orphanage?" I asked, knowing he was the Pig that slept beneath me

"Got too old. I see you got bigger, and rolling with this…thing. Nothing changes, I see" he said, followed by a malicious laugh, and making Niki hang her head

This angered me, but I kept control and took out my bag of money.

"I'll pay fifty Yuan and throw in a nice beat down for the dress" I said, silencing him

"Seventy five Yuan and I kick your ass" he retorted

"If we're playing this game, then how about this: I pay ten Yuan if I can pin you down, but if you can land a hit I'll pay you one hundred Yuan" I offered, making him gawk

"Deal" he replied, walking around his counter and into the dirt street, a smirk on his face

"When you're ready" I said, putting my hands behind my back and waiting calmly

He laughed, then after a few seconds began running at me. I simply stepped to the side and tripped him, making him fall onto his fat stomach. Before he could get up, I placed a foot on his back and applied pressure so he couldn't move.

"You have ten seconds to get up" I said, smiling

He tried to swing his short arms and legs to land a hit, but had no such luck. The time came and went but he still didn't give up. I waited thirty seconds before I told Niki to grab the dress and I tossed the money on the counter.

"Thank you for being so generous, Wang. I'll be sure to tell everyone of your changed heart" I said, making Niki laugh as we walked away

Wang cursed to nobody in particular as he flailed around in a tantrum.

"Thank you for this, Fisk" Niki said, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek as we walked back to palace in the moonlight

"Anything for you" I replied, kissing her cheek to even the score

From then on we walked in silence, only enjoying each other's presence. I could see Niki blushing beneath her fur, glancing at me occasionally then looking away. She clearly had something about us on her mind.

"Alright, spill it. What's going on in your head?" I asked as we reached the stairs and began to accent

"I don't know what you're talking about…" she lied

"You've been looking at me and blushing for the past couple minutes. Clearly something is on your mind" I replied

"It's hard to say…it mind weird you out" She said, unsure

"I went across the world; I've seen some pretty disturbing things. Just tell me" I said, trying to sound forceful but grinning all the same

She was silent for a while, just blushing and looking ahead. It wasn't until we reached the top that she spoke.  
"Do you think we'll…uh" she trailed off into silence, not actually saying anything

"Yes?" I ushered her on as we reached the front door to the barracks

"Nothing. Goodnight" she said, turning around and putting her arms over my shoulders, pulling me into a kiss

It lasted only a few moments before she broke away and turned to go inside. She lingered at the door, though, as if frozen in time. I thought she was for a second until she turned back around to face me.

"Do you think we'll ever get married?" she asked, stunning me

I didn't even try to reply before I had thought of the words. Would we? If I say no, then I would hurt her bad, if I say possibly, she might think I mean no. if I say yes, then I might seem desperate or like I'm rushing into it. My mouth opened involuntarily and spoke words I didn't even think about saying.

"Only time will tell"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 15

As time passed, things became calmer. The knowledge of my power and presence in the valley caused crime to reduce. It would've been boring if it weren't for Niki. No matter how many years we were together, things never went stale. We never grew tired of each other after feeling what it we like to be without each other. I took a short eight month trip to Japan to have a friend of Tigress teach me the honorable way of the Samurai. I turned twenty three last month, and last week Niki became twenty two. Lucy and Li-Yang eventually married with my blessing under the roof of the jade palace, wed by Master Yaou. They recently returned from their trip to Gongmen City. As winter ended, I went back to wearing black kung-Fu pants and a black and gold vest. Viper continuously asked me when I planned to ask for Niki's hand in marriage, but I hadn't a clue what the answer was. Since Lucy lives with Li-Yang, I live along in the old house originally owned by my old master. There was still the occasional crime, but things never got bad. Fenghuang hasn't been seen since our last encounter, but Fung and his bandits never gave up. They weren't smart enough. Now I serve as the protector of the province, assigned by the emperor himself. I'm occasionally given assignments, but things usually don't get bad enough that the Emperial army can't handle it.

I woke that morning with a yawn, sitting up and stretching. The morning sun was peaking in through the open window in my bedroom, giving the room a warm spring glow. I planned to talk to Viper today for advice and what to do about my situation with the proposal to Niki. I knew I wanted to marry her, that much was clear, but I hadn't a clue how to approach her, what the setting should be, and who should be around. I stood from the bed and grabbed my vest from the table, putting it on followed by the bow around my shoulders. I followed my normal morning routine, taking a quick bath before starting up my breakfast. I had fruit tea and dumplings before starting my walk up to the Jade Palace. I was surprised by how much activity had sprung up in the village today. It was a warm day with a cooling wind coming through the streets, so all the young ones were running about with kites while their parents stood nearby. I smiled at the sound of their laughter…everything at peace. As I walked I let my mind linger on that thought. Everything at peace…all in balance. We haven't even had another phantom sighting since America.

I didn't even realize I was already climbing the stairs as my mind continued to ponder what that might mean. My thoughts were interrupted as I walked smack into a tree at the top of the stairs, earning a snicker from Collin who was training nearby.

"Watch where you're going, kid. You could knock over one of those trees" he said, making me laugh as well

"And how are you this morning, Collin?" I asked, walking closer to him

"Old, but going strong, same as always. How about you?" he asked in reply

"I've got some stuff on my mind. I've come to consult with Master Viper about it" I replied

"Mind sparing first?" I heard from behind me

I turned around to see a friendly but deadly female feline. Without waiting for a reply, she got into a fighting stance.

"With all the training we've been doing with Sky, I think I can last against a Xing for a few minutes" She said

"Alright, I'll go easy at first but I'll tone it down as I see fit"' I replied, mimicking what she said the first time I sparred with her in this same area and getting into a fighting position of my own

"Very funny" she said, "Lose the bow"

I then remembered I had the bow. I quickly removed it and tossed it aside returning to my stance.

"Whenever you're ready, kitty" I said, now mimicking Sky

She only chuckled before charging. I didn't attack, but instead continuously back stepped while leaning in the proper direction to dodge her barrage of blows. She seemed to be getting frustrated, because her attacks became less coordinated. I used this to my advantage and grabbed her oncoming fist, pivoting on my feet and using her own momentum to throw her behind me. She hit the ground with a thump followed by a skid. She was quick to her feet, however, as she charged again, gaining control of her temper. I was now on both offense and defense as I blocked and countered, knocking her back a few feet. She retaliated quickly, running back at me. I put her back on the ground though, sweeping her legs from underneath her with a swift motion of my leg. This time I held her down with a foot on her chest. Even in her defeat she was laughing, and I didn't quite understand why until she spoke.

"Even with all this training, you can beat me without even trying. It's so sad it's laughable" she said as I removed my foot and helped her up

"Maybe a bit more training and some increased speed will help. If it'd any consolation, you still probably scare Po more than I do" I replied, making her laugh once more

"Not hard to do. His biggest fear is missing a meal" Tigress said, then bowed in respect

"True" I replied, bowing as well

"By the way, Shifu would like to see you. He and Sky have something important they need to talk to you about" she said, motioning me towards the sacred peach tree

I could tell by a glint in her eye she knew what it was, and I saw Collin looking at me with pride. It must have been something good. I nodded and hurried up to the given location. Shifu and Sky were meditating when I arrived, but both seemed completely aware of my arrival as they both stood up and faced me.

"You wanted to see me, Masters?" I asked

"Yes, we have important matters to discuss with you" Shifu said

"Walk with us" Sky commanded, leading me down the stairs followed by Shifu, who walked on my right while Sky was on the left

"Fisk, in the time that has passed we have watched you grow. You came here as a ten year old boy, only seeking to learn Kung Fu," she said

"But I sensed more in you. As time passed, you grew into a powerful Xing. Master of Kung Fu, Jujitsu, Tai Chi, Karate, Judo, Samurai, MMA, and many others. You vanquished a Phantom without the aid of a partner, something I never did," Sky continued

"And have bested the best masters in the province, let alone the valley. You turned three of Chinas most feared criminals into the protectors of Gongmen City, and saved our live on more than one occasion. All of this is why we have called you to us…and why they have all gathered" Shifu concluded as we reached the main courtyard, where I found everyone had gathered. Collin, Niki, Tigress, Viper, Mantis, Crane, Monkey, Po, Lucy, and even Mr. Ping and Li-Yang were there. Everyone was there, standing with looks of joy on their faces

"Fisk, I am here to bestow upon you the greatest honor I possibly can. The rank of a Kung Fu Master" Shifu said, surprising me beyond believe

"And Fisk, you have come to master every version of Martial Arts known in this world and my own past world. This is what every Xing must do, and now that you have completed this great task, I can bestow upon you the rank of Xing Master" Sky concluded, and then they both walked down into the crowd

From there, everyone faced me and placed their left fist to their right palm, bowing as they spoke the word "Master" in unison. I bowed back to them in the same manor, showing that I accepted the role I was being given. We were in silence for but a few moments before I traditionally announced what my first act as a master would be.

"For my first action taken as a master, I must consult with Master Viper on some important matters" I said, seeming to surprise everyone

Viper nodded and slithered towards me. I led her through the crowd of masters, goose, and bunny, smiling at Niki as I walked by. It was strange, but I could sense a feeling of confusion and slight worry in Niki as I walked by. I didn't quite understand what was going on her mind, but I was too focused on the task at hand to bring it to mind. I led master Viper down the stairs and into town before I began talking.

"Thank you for taking the time to speak with me on such short notice" I said

"Not at all, Fisk. I've been missing the times when everyone could just sit and talk. So, how have you been?" she asked as we passed Mr. Pings, a line of people waiting for him to return

"I've been amazing. Things around couldn't be better, and yet here I am coming to ask you for advice" I replied, making her head snap in my direction

"What's wrong? Has something happened between you and Niki?" she asked, her expression one of worry

"No, in fact our bond is strong as ever. But that is the area I need help with" I replied, making her sigh in relief as we kept walking, or slithering along the path through town

"Well, tell me what's on your mind" she said

"I've been thinking about this for a long time now…and I've come to a decision to change things between Niki and I" I said, stunning Viper

"You aren't being clear. You said nothing was wrong between you two! Why would you want things to change?" Viper asked rather quickly, slithering in front of me and forcing me to stop

"Viper," I said, a small grin on my face, "I want to ask her hand in marriage"

Viper's entire mind seemed to need to go into shut down as she processed what I just said. For the longest time she just stared blankly at me in silence, unmoving. I was about to snap my fingers in front of her face when she lunged at me, wrapping her entire body around me in an extremely tight hug.

"Oh my god, Fisk, that's so wonderful!" she exclaimed

I couldn't reply since all the air had been forced from my lungs. I was on the verge of passing out before she released me, apologizing profusely. After taking in multiple large breaths of air, I told her not to think of it.

"I'm fine, Viper. I was mostly prepared for such a reaction. But I'm not done yet…there's more to tell of the situation" I said, stopping to give her time to prepare

"Because of who I am, and the life I live, I'm afraid I'm not the right person for Niki to spend the rest of her life with. The enemies I have worldwide would do anything to hurt me, including hurting the ones I care most for-" I was interrupted

"Now you listen here, Fisk. I've known you since you were a small cub, and you've always strived to do anything you could to protect me, Niki, and everyone else you care for. There is nobody more fit to marry Niki, enemies or not" Viper said, kindly but sternly still

"Alright," I said submissively, taking her point of view, "Then comes the matter of my proposal, and all preparations. How should I approach?" I asked

"That is something you have to figure out yourself. Niki is a sucker for a guy that follows his heart. But I can tell you that you have to ask her father's permission, as tradition states" Viper replied, partially disappointing me, but I kept my cool

"Thank you for your help, Master Viper" I said, bowing respectfully before rushing back up to the palace

I was so excited I ended up leaping off the ground once I got to the stairs and flying up. I felt immensely at peace, sighing in contempt as I flew up the stairs. When I got to the top I landed, walking inside to see if I could find Collin. I was surprised to find Tigress running at me, a worried expression on her face.

"Fisk, where have you been?" she asked rather hastily

"Consulting with master Viper, why?" I asked in reply, confused

"Niki is up in her room crying. She's been babbling to everyone that you're cheating on her with Viper" she answered, now slowing down questioningly

"What?! Where would she get an idea like that?" I asked, surprised and confused beyond believe

"She didn't tell you?" Tigress asked

"Didn't tell me what?"

"While you were in America, she had many people with her. Guys were lined up, and every single time she found one she liked, she'd give him a shot, but each time they'd end up cheating on her with someone in town she was close to" Tigress said, looking at me questioningly and angrily

"Oh my god…I've got to go talk to her!" I yelled, pushing by tigress as I ran to the barracks

Tigress tried to yell at me, but I didn't listen. I sprinted into the barracks, but was grabbed by the scruff of my neck and pulled back out. I landed on my back, rolling to a stop by a tree. When I got up I saw Collins face painted with anger. I could see it in his eyes, though, that underneath he was confused and unsure.

"Where have you been running around with Viper?!" he asked menacingly

"Collin, I was merely consulting with Viper about important matters. I had no idea of Niki's past with boys…otherwise I would've had someone accompany me as to not test her trust in me. Collin I swear, I would never do anything to hurt Niki!" I said after standing up

"Then what the hell were you talking to Viper about?" he asked, stepping closer to me

"I needed her advice on an important matter concerning Niki. Collin, I'd like to ask her hand in marriage" I said, almost knocking him on his butt

We stood there in silence for the longest time. As the silence settled, I could hear Niki sobbing in her room. It broke my heart to know this was caused by a lack of trust in me. After a while longer, Collin still seemed to be speechless. In reply he nodded and stepped aside, motioning me to go in and talk to her. I mouthed my thanks and walked in slowly. The sound of her sobbing grew louder as I grew closer, eventually getting to her door. Without knocking, I opened it and walked in, shutting it behind me. Her crying ceased only to look at me with anger before burying her face in her arms while lying on her cot.

"What do YOU want?" she asked angrily

"I came to talk. Why didn't you ever tell me about your past with others?" I asked

"I didn't think it would matter, since you were oh so special and different from them. Guess you proved me wrong. So what's it like messing around with a serpent?" she asked me sharply, her words stabbing into me painfully

"Niki, I swear to all things good, I would never cheat on you. If I ever hurt you intentionally, I'd die! It's killing me to know you don't trust me enough to know that" I said

"I did trust you, but then you walked off with her and looked so…happy! I followed you and saw her wrapped around you so tightly! You can't lie to me about this!" Niki yelled, sitting up and looking at me angrily. I was about to speak but she slapped me painfully across the face, "How dare you even come in here!"

"Niki, Viper hugged me after I told her some amazing news. I went to consult with her on a matter concerning me and you" I said, trying to sound as genuine as possible

"Yeah right, you jerk. You couldn't prove that if you were Master Oogway himself! Get out!" she yelled quite audibly, going to hit me again. This time I caught her hand and pulled her into a hug. It was the only thing I could think of doing in this situation. She tried with all her might to break free from the hug, eventually returning to her sobs as her strength left her.

"I can prove it, Niki" I said quietly

"You're welcome to try" she said between sobs

I was hoping she'd say that. The only thing I could think of to do to convince her was what caused the problem in the first place. I let go of the hug and she backed away, looking at me expectantly. It was hard to will my body to do what my mind was saying. For the longest time I couldn't, and Niki seemed to be losing hope.

"That's what I thought. Get out before I call in Sky" she said, turning away and going to lie back down. Before she could I grabbed her arm and pulled her to once again face me.

"Niki, will you do me the honor of joining hands with me in marriage?"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 16

The events that concluded that night were confusing and altogether mind scrambling. I was hopeful when my proposal silenced her tears, but after sitting in silence for almost a full twenty minutes, Niki pushed by me and ran from the barracks, no noise but her breathing for my ears to hear as she ran away. I followed her to the door, calling her name, but she never slowed down. When we exited the barracks, I stopped and she ran from the palace. I could see her running down the stairs in the distance before she disappeared beyond the overcasting clouds. Collin stood behind me, looking just as confused as we exchanged a glance.

"I have to go after her" I stated, but remained unmoving

"Yes, you do. Go, quickly…I don't know what she plans to do out there" Collin agreed, shoving me slightly in the direction she fled

I looked at him and nodded before turning to run after Niki. Though before I could take a single step, Sky landed directly in front of me.

"No, you need to give her space" he said, surprising both Collin and me

"What do you mean?" we asked in unison

"She was upset, confused, and angry, so when you asked her hand, the emotions mixed too heavily. I could sense it from the peach tree, yet you were too caught up in your own emotions to realize how much you sent her emotion aster. Give her space and meditate on this. You may be a master but you still have much to learn on this side of things" he replied

I didn't want to, but I knew and believed he was right. I knew I should've paid more attention when I went to walk with Viper when I sensed the sadness and confusion in Niki. I nodded and took to flight, going to the peach tree. I sat at its base with my legs crossed, placing my hands in my legs. I closed my eyes and began the meditative breathing, in the nose and out the mouth in a slow steady rhythm. How could I not have known about this? Did I not ask enough of how she was while I was gone, or did she really not want me to know? How can I fix what I've done? I hope I haven't ruined things between us. These thoughts ran through my mind all night, trying to find a solution. Suddenly, a solution snapped into my mind. I needed to remind her of why she trusted me so, and why this isn't the end for us. The energy and hope that flowed through my body at that moment became too much and I had to let it go. I took my bow quickly from my back and aimed it at the sky, shooting a bright gold bolt into where the sun would soon be rising. It went only a few thousand feet up before exploding into a glowing star in the sky, quickly dissolving into the air. I smiled to myself before taking flight and going into town to find Niki.

It took me no time at all to reach the bottom. I ran to my house first, thinking maybe that was the only place she could spend the night. I had no luck, only finding an empty house. I next checked Mr. Pings, but his guest room was still the way Po left it.

"I'm sorry, Fisk, I haven't seen her since last week. Has something happened?" Mr. Ping asked

"I'm afraid so. I've no time to explain. I must find her" I said, and before waiting for an answer ran out

I was about to go back up to the palace to see if she had returned, but before I could I heard a familiar bunny call my name.

"Fisk!" Lucy called, making me turn around to see her and Li-Yang running at me with worried expressions on their faces

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Too much. Niki spent the night with us, and someone has appeared at the entrance of town. It's Wan Wu…she stumbling around, injured badly looking for you" Li-Yang said hastily

I reacted on pure instinct. The first thing I did was the closest. I ran towards the entrance of town to find Wan barely wearing anything. Only the remains of her shredded cloths. The skin I could see was covered in cuts, tattered fur and her left arm was clearly broken. I sprinted to her, trying to get to her as fast as possible. When she saw me approaching, she flashed a weak smile, and just as I got to her she collapsed, falling into my arms as I kneeled to the ground so she could lie down.

"Wan, what happened to you?" I asked

"An attack…in Gongmen City. A creature of darkness we couldn't touch, let alone defeat. My sisters were…killed and…I didn't know where else to go…" she said, then slipped from consciousness

"Phantom" I said to myself, "someone send for Sky to meet me at my house, NOW!" I screamed at the gathering crowd before picking her up bridal stile and running to my house

Upon arrival I laid her in my bed, and then quickly ran to grab my medical supplies to set the bone and close the wounds. She felt no pain in her unconscious state as I set the bone, cleaned her cuts, stitched her up, and in the process had to remove with little shreds of clothing she had on. I wrapped her in a blanket after putting her arm in a sling, letting her rest in the bed. Just then, Sky ran in.

"What happened? People said you needed me to get here urgently" he said, then checked everything in the room

"She came into town beaten and injured. As her final words before slipping from consciousness, she told me a being of darkness attacked Gongmen city. They couldn't defeat it and her sisters were killed" I said quite sad at knowing this

"W-what happened?" I heard from the bed

We both looked to see Wan awake and about to sit up. I quickly stopped her, as it would cause her great pain and reveal her more private areas to our eyes.

"Why am I in so much pain?" she groaned

"Wan…how much do you remember?" I asked

Before replying, she forced me to let her sit up, wrapping the blanket around her chest under her arms.

"I was in Gongmen City…investigating a weird hole that opened up in the royal courtyard. My sisters were there with all the royal guards…and…oh my god, they were killed!" she exclaimed, beginning to cry

I pulled her into a comforting hug as she sobbed into my chest. After a while of this, Sky spoke.

"Wan, I'm sorry for your loss, but it's vital you tell us what came out of that hole" he said

"It was seemingly made of darkness…it looked like it was the shape of an Ox, wielding a spear, but nothing we had could even touch it" she said, stopping her cries and becoming angry

"Just as I thought. It's a phantom General" Sky said

"What?" I asked

"They are at least three times as powerful as a standard Phantom Warrior, and you've only fought Tai Lung. He's only three fourths as strong as a phantom warrior. Before I was united with Biyu, I had to be beyond my max power to defeat one. It won't be hard for us now, but we must be cautious" he concluded

"Fisk?" Wan said, grabbing my attention, "No matter what, you kill that thing"

I nodded and looked at Sky. He told me to grab anything I would need before leaving.

"I only need my heart" I said

"Under the circumstances, is your heart ready?" he asked

"Yes" I said without hesitation

With that, we ran out of my house and went for the exit of the village.

"Fisk, wait!" I heard from behind me

When I turned I saw Niki running straight for me. When she was close enough, she leaped into my arms, hugging me and crying at the same time.

"Fisk, I'm so sorry for what happened. I was sad, and confused…I didn't know how to respond…I just flipped!" she exclaimed

"Niki, it's ok! What's important now is it's in the past. All we need worry about now is the present" I said

"You're right…and the answer is yes" she said, catching me off guard

"What?"

"I will give you my hand in marriage…just please make it back" she replied, continuing her crying

"I will. Tell the news to viper. We'll be married as soon as possible…she can plan everything out. And we can go wherever you want to celebrate" I said, "Now I have to go"

We shared a goodbye kiss before I ran to catch up with Sky, who was hovering in the air above the entrance. Once I caught up to him, we flew to Gongmen City. Through the mountains, over the bamboo forest, across the scorching desert, and into the harbor. It took under an hour to get there at top speed, and the site took our breaths away. Everything in the city was smoking. Buildings destroyed, homes on fire. The site angered me. And towering above the wreckage of a building was the phantom responsible, exactly as Wan described. I couldn't explain the feeling, but I hungered to fight this creature. I felt a need to bring it to justice.

"Fisk, I know we came to fight it together, but I think you beet it on your own" Sky said, surprising me

"What do you mean?" I asked, looking at him questioningly

"I'll be here if things get too hard, but I sense in you, anger and a spark. Use it and this will be an easy victory. Use it as I did" he said

I didn't reply, but nod before flying at top speed towards the phantom. He had no idea I was drawing near until I let out a terrifying battle cry. He barely had time to turn around before I slammed into him, sending us both through the remains of a burning building. When we broke through the other side, I rolled to my feet while he slammed into another still standing building. He was quick to his feet to see what exactly had hit him. I already had my bow in hand and was ready to fight when he caught sight of me. He was in the shape of a large Ox as Wan had said, wielding a dark spear. He was at least six inches taller than me. When he saw me, an evil smile creped onto his face. He began to chuckle.

"You aren't the one I'm here for. Where's that grand old Xing that sent my master back to the underworld?" he asked, voice deep

"Sorry, but you'll just have to deal with me" I replied, quickly taking aim and firing

He was faster than Tai Lung was, however, and dodged the shot with ease. He leaned to the side, allowing the shot to pass him by before charging at me, going to run me through with his spear. I used my bow to knock the spear aside before sending my foot to his face in a backflip motion, doing a full flip before landing it. He stood back and felt his jaw, obviously feeling the pain of my attack.

"You're not bad, kid. I'll have some fun with you before I test the weakening strength of your master!" he yelled, then charged

This time I didn't react correctly. I tried to block his attack, giving him the opportunity to grab my arm and throw me into the same building he crashed into. The back of my head slammed into the stone, causing my vision to blur and my ears to ring. I could see the outline of his dark figure slowly coming closer.

"Guess I over estimated you. You are weak!" he yelled, then his figure quickened its advancing pace

I could slightly make out his foot flying through the air before I felt the pain of it connecting with the side of my face before I went flying. I landed painfully on some stone rubble, feeling the pain of cuts forming on my arms and legs. No matter how I tried, I somehow couldn't muster the strength to move. The blow to my head did something to me.

"Since you don't plan to fight anymore, I've grown bored. Spies we have in the living world say that the newest Xing to your way has grown attached to someone in this world. A Wolf…" he said, causing my senses to begin returning…sight, sound and feeling, but I still couldn't muster the strength to move, though I was able to shift

"Oh, so the rumors are true…can't have the chance of the Xing blood line carrying on. I'll have to take care of her when you're dead. It's a pity, really. Young body like that…people would pay a fortune" he said

This time, his words did the trick. My anger lit a spark inside. I felt my power welling up inside, and knew all I had to do was release it. I forced myself to stand, a look of furry on my face.

"Finally. I was getting worried I broke you too soon" he said, getting into a full offense stance

"I'll kill you!" I screamed before charging, gliding at ground level in his direction

He was caught off guard by my sudden burst of speed and had no time to react before my knee collided with his chest, sending him in to a backflip. He managed to land it, but had no time to do anything more. I grabbed my bow off the ground and shot him quickly with a Solar Comet, knocking him to the ground. He lay there for a while, unmoving, leaving me to breathe heavily. I was surprised when he began to chuckle on the ground. He then stood back up.

"Is that the best you can do? Your girlfriend is gonna die for sure at this rate. Maybe I won't waste that body, though" he said, grabbing his spear

His words turned the ember in me into a wildfire. The energy welled up even more, and I only reacted on instinct. I put my hands out in front of me, and they began to glow gold.

"Cosmic Cloud!" I yelled, the released the new attack

Just then, a cloud of golden dust surrounded the phantom, making him look confused.

"HA!" I screamed, then made a motion with my hands that commanded every particle of the cloud to move in on him, covering him in the golden dust

His actual body was no longer visible as it was covered in gold. But the gold changed color to a fire yellow, then suddenly exploded in a show of fire. It knocked me on my back, and when I got back up, it was gone. The Phantom, the smoke…there was no evidence of the explosion at all. I then heard someone land beside me.

"Told you you could do it" I heard Sky say

"Yeah yeah, but we've gotta get home. I've got a wedding to plan"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 17

After having spent a little while using Xing Symbols to rebuild what the Phantom destroyed, we returned to the valley. Even in the joyous time I was, things weren't joyous for everyone. Upon reaching home, I found that Wan was still in my bed, crying, mourning the death of her sisters. We gave her a place to stay in the palace for now, but she refuses to move from under those covers, or eat, or do anything but cry. It saddened me to know they were dead as well, but it saddened me more to see the state my friend was in. I slept in the kitchen that night, leaning on my hands as I sat at the table. I woke to a knock on my front door. I got up and stretched, feeling stiff from sleeping in that position. After I'd cracked my spine, I walked over to the door and opened it. I was greeted with a strong hug before I could even see who it was, but I recognized the presence of my love.

"Morning, Niki" I said, hugging her back

"Good morning; are you ready to start planning the wedding?" she asked, nothing but joy on her face and in her voice

I didn't answer, but pulled her into a deep kiss. It lasted only a few seconds before we broke apart.

"Answer your question?" I asked

"Yes…"

"Well then let's get started. What have you always dreamed of in your wedding?" I asked, leading her out of the house and into the streets

She explained everything she'd ever imagined her wedding to be as we walked through the streets. Her father would walk her down the aisle. She'd be wearing a traditional Chinese wedding gown and vale, colored red as is the tradition of being wed. Afterwards, we'd vow our loyalties to each other, me vowing to treat her with love and her vowing to honor me as her husband. After there would be a party at the palace where we would dance with each other, surrounded by all who we love. We'd then go to the mountains as two, remain there for five days, then return home as one. I was amazed at how much thought she'd given to this, for I only knew that I wanted the wedding to be just as my love had always dreamed.

"You've really thought about this, haven't you? All I've ever thought about is making sure it's perfect for you" I said, feeling like I should've thought more

"Then you've thought just enough" she replied, pulling me into a hug

I returned the hug, pulling in tightly to my chest. After a few moments, we broke apart.

"We should start thinking of a guest list, and location, and all that. We can get Viper and Crane to help with setting up everything" Niki said

"Where do you think we should have this happen?" I asked

She was silent for the longest time, her expression ever changing. She'd go from thinking to telling herself no, to looking like she'd thought of a good place, to thinking it was impossible. Eventually she seemed to come to an unsure conclusion, looking at me and telling me her choice.

"I don't know if it's too much for just our wedding, but maybe…up by the pool of sacred tears with the entire village watching?" she asked, looking very unsure of my reply

I had to think about it for a while before deciding that it would be hard, but doable. We'd have to put up posters everywhere announcing the wedding.

"It won't be easy, but we can do it. We can have Mr. Ping do the food for the dance after the wedding, and I'll even play something on my guitar from America for some musical entertainment" I offered, making a huge smile cover her face

"Of course! Now, I'll go talk to Viper and Crane then see if Shifu can arrange for the posters to be put up. You go talk to Mr. Ping and work on food plans" she said, and without another word was jogging back up to the palace

I laughed at the way she pranced as she jogged, her glee clearly showing as she began her track up the stairs to the palace. I walked over to and into Mr. Ping shop, where I was met by a mob. The place was busier than I'd ever seen it, making my task all the harder. I weaved my way through the people to the front counter, where I got some stink eyes for cutting to the front.

"Mr. Ping, I can see you're busy, but could you spare sometime to speak with me?" I asked, getting his attention

"Sure, Fisk. Come on back" he said, motioning to the door to get behind the counter

"Thanks you" I replied, going to and through the door

"So what do you need? Is something wrong?" he asked as he continued to chop vegetables and make his famous secret ingredient soup for his waiting customers

"Niki and I would like you to do the cooking and catering for our wedding" I said, making him nearly cut off his feet as he dropped the knife he was using

"You're getting married?! Why didn't anyone tell me?!" he asked, partially of joy, some of anger, but mostly surprise

"It happened yesterday. You're one of the first to know, along with everyone in here who just heard you yelling" I replied, picking the knife up off the ground and handing it to him

"This is so sudden. I've never cooked for a wedding before. When will it be?" he asked

"In only a few days' time at the pool of sacred tears. I hope it isn't too much to ask, Mr. Ping, but I want it to be special for her, and you make some of the best food around" I replied

"It's no problem, Fisk. I'll have everything ready, just save me a good seat" he said, matting me on the thigh since he couldn't reach anything else

"Thank you, Mr. Ping. We're gonna have as many people as can come. The entire village if possible, so make plenty of food and cake. I've got to go hunt down someone who can wed us under the law" I said before exiting the kitchen and leaving the restaurant

I had in mind Master Yaou, a well-known komodo dragon. He as a master under the emperor has the authority to do certain things, including wedding people. I'd need to get Zeng to fly out with a letter requesting him. Knowing this, I went back to myself to get my paper, quill and ink. I walked in my house and directly to the bedroom, going into a cabinet to retrieve the items. I took out only one blank scroll to write on and took the items to the kitchen. I sat at the table and spread out the scroll, using two metal slabs to keep it from rolling back up. I then dipped my quill in the ink and began to write.

 **To Master Yaou,**

 **Master Yaou, I request and plead for your presence in the valley of peace in a few days' time to wed me and my fiancé in front of the village and under the law. With this request I also send you an invitation to the wedding and party afterwards as my honored guest. If you cannot make it to the wedding, then please send someone who has the authority to bond us together in marriage. I appreciate your help, Master.**

 **With full regards,**

Master Fisk-

After finishing the letter, I blew on the ink to make it dry before rolling the scroll up. I then wrapped its center in a skinny sheet of paper to symbolize that it's from someone of importance and not what is known in America as "fan mail". I then left my house, starting my track up the stairs to the jade palace. It took what seemed like little time, but was more like a good fifteen minutes before I reached the top, where I found Tigress and Po sparing in the main courtyard. Po was surprisingly holding his own, giving Tigress a run for her money. I didn't let it distract me for long, mainly because I saw Zeng fly by. He was heading to his chambers, if I was correct, but he was stopped by me calling his name. He flew down to me after groaning.

"Yes?" he asked

"I'll give you fifty Yuan if you deliver this to Master Yaou in Gongmen City, one hundred if it's done by tomorrow" I said sternly, wanting to get to the point; he seemed surprised by my willingness to pay so much

"Gladly, sir. I'll set out within the hour" he replied, taking the scroll and flying to his chambers

Just as he left, I saw Niki, Crane, and Viper walk by, seemingly in a very hasty conversation.

"Are you sure this is gonna be a real wedding? The last one I planned was Po's and that turned out to be a trick to get him killed, and that sucked for my reputation" Crane said, making me chuckle

"Yes, its real, Crane. The entire village will be there. Niki already had people sent out to put up posters and cleared the location with Shifu" Viper said, making Crane sigh in relief

"Got some planning going on I see" I said, grabbing their attention

Niki was instantly running at me, wrapping me tightly in her arms and kissing me. It was nice, but a slight creak from Crane's falling beak made it awkward. It turned to funny when Po crashed into the ground in front of us, followed by Tigress landing on top of him and pinning him down. They were both breathing hard. We all started laughing at them, confusing them both.

"What's so…funny?" Tigress asked in between breaths

"The timing you guys had was pretty good" I replied, making the laughter continue

As the few days until the wedding passed, all that happened was preparations. I didn't see Niki at all after that day until the wedding itself, as is tradition. I only made sure preparations were perfect and practiced putting on the formal robe, which was quite complicated. I eventually got the hand of putting on the crimson and gold robe, shoes, and hat perfectly. Master Yaou was unable to come, so he sent a replacement. Only a goat from the city who was a man of law. He wasn't very friendly, as he didn't talk to anyone. I kept my eye on him, seeing as he was quite suspicious. I wasn't going to let anyone ruin this day. The morning of the wedding day, I woke just as the sun was showing itself in the distance. Before I did anything I jumped in the bath and scrubbed every particle of dust from my fur. Everything other than what was attached to my body was gone. I also cut my hair to a nice length for the occasion, but it was still long enough to keep my normal hairdo. I cut my mustache and beard to match the length of the rest of my fur and trimmed my lower areas the same way. I wanted to look perfect all over and have nothing undesirable anywhere. Just as I got my cloths back on, I heard a knock on my door. I went to answer it but couldn't get close enough as Crane barged in.

"Get cleaned up, shave, and…oh, you did that already" he said, seeing I wasn't helpless without him

"Yes, Crane. I want to be perfect for Niki. How is everything going? Is everything ready for this afternoon?" I asked

"Everything is perfect. We just need to make sure you and Niki are ready all the same. Viper is helping Niki prepare, and I came to help you. But it seems that isn't needed" he replied, looking partially useless

"I wouldn't want to risk ruining my freshly cleaned fur…could you fix me some breakfast?" I asked, trying to give him a job so he wouldn't feel useless

His face lit up and he nodded, rushing into the kitchen to begin cooking while I went into my room to finish drying and brushing my hair. The only downside of having long hair was that it took so long to dry and if it dried in the wrong position, it would be stuck that way. I spent ten minutes on that one task before I was called into the kitchen by Crane. I walked in to find Bean Buns and Jasmin Tea. I sat at the table and began eating, Crane staring intently, waiting for me to finish. As soon as a swallowed my last bite, he asked me where we were planning to go afterwards.

"We know of a small temple in the mountains for these such occasions. We're going there" I replied

"What do you plan to wear for the after party? You can't very well dance wearing your wedding robes" he asked, obviously trying to make sure I have everything planned

"I have a nice black silk shirt and pants set aside to put on before I head up to the Jade Palace for the dance" I replied

"Ok, good. I've hired people from the musician's village on the outskirts to play for you, and I've set aside time for you to play that song you were gonna play. What song are you playing, anyway?" he asked

"It's an American song by a band called lifehouse. I've learned the cover for it on the guitar I have so I can sing it and play it. The title is 'You And Me', and I've adjusted the lyrics to work in Chinese. Anything I'm missing?" I asked

"Not that I can tell. Now what if someone attacks you during the wedding? A phantom attack, or a grudge match, or something like that. What will you do?" he asked

I hadn't thought much on that, since the odds of someone attacking ME on this special day are a thousand to one, it was unlikely. All I knew was that anyone who dared try to ruin this day would meet a fast end.

"Let's just say anyone foolish enough to do that would come out unsuccessful, if they come out at all" I replied, a smirk on my face

Crane didn't say another word. He only motioned me to the bedroom to help me get into my wedding robe. I was able to get the robe itself over my head, but the extra accessories were difficult, even though I practiced. Crane aided in my dressing, putting all the red and gold items on my. In the end all the cloths added an extra fifty percent to my weight, and we didn't finish a moment too soon. Just as the last knot was tied, there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, I saw a goat towing behind him an empty rickshaw. I hadn't expected this, but apparently Crane did.

"I ordered it so you wouldn't have to walk and risk messing anything up. He'll take you up the mountain to the site of the wedding. Go, go!" he ushered me into the rickshaw

No sooner than I sat down did we begin rolling down the street. I felt like a celebrity. People all around were recognizing me and waving, but I couldn't understand a thing they were saying because of the sheer volume of the crowd. Eventually we exited town, heading for the nearby mountain. It took longer than it would have had I flown, but we were there in an hour. When I arrived I saw people already there, trying to save good seats for their families. From there I was directed to the front, where I was told to wait until the ceremony began. The setting seemed unreal. Benches were set up in rows of two columns, each consisting of ten rows of seats, each row able to seat twenty people. Where I stood was underneath a handmade canopy of cherry blossoms, weaved together with only the finest of grape vines. Behind me was the pool of sacred tears and from what I've heard still has some of Po's armpit sweat somewhere in there.

I stood and watched as more and more people arrived, filing up all but the first two rows which were reserved for my closer friends and family, plus those who had eye problems. Those soon also filled up with the furious five, Po, Shifu, Collin, some vision impaired people, Lucy who's belly seemed to be expanding and I was pretty sure I knew why, and Li-Yang. In the row right behind Po sat Mr. Ping, who couldn't help but shout to me about the food he prepared, making me laugh. That row also held Wan, who despite her grieve forced herself to come, and I was very grateful for it. As the sun rose and began to fall, I began getting bored. My boredom was not prolonged, however, as I heard a gong sound, making the crowd fall silent. I then witnessed more beauty than I had ever though my life could hold. The musicians began playing a small song as Niki, led by Collin who I realized had left his seat, walked down the aisle until she took her spot beside me and Collin took his seat. The goat in charge of marrying us then appeared from behind a boulder. He then took his place in between us.

 **(I'm sorry, but the wedding is more based off American weddings. I couldn't find much information on ancient Chinese weddings other than the things they wore. Sorry)**

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered in this sacred place to make one the two young people before us this evening. Fisk Thompson, son of Sky, will be married to Niki Long, daughter of Syrina. Before we begin, if anyone has any objections to the marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace," he said, and then waited a little while in silence

"Alright, let's begin. We will start by letting the groom say the vows he has prepared" he said, then stepped back to let me speak

I took a deep breath, then began, "Niki, you've been my friend since we were cubs. I remember you dragging me around town to see everything, and I remember almost killing you. And yet, through it all, we've come out with our bond stronger than ever, and I couldn't be happier standing here with you. I promise that I will never treat you wrong, and your life with me will be one of joy, adventure, and hopefully pleasure" I concluded, and then the goat stepped forward again

"And now, the bride will say her vows" he said, then stepped back again

"Fisk, through my life with you, you've brought me joy, pain, near death, and a warmth inside that has no words to describe it. Since I was nine you were my best friend, and you have been the only boy to never betrayed me. I promise to honor you as my husband and be a good wife" she concluded, and then the goat stepped forward once again

"Now, please bring forth the rings" he said

I watched as a little bunny girl brought a red pillow forward with two rings, one gold with red rubies, and the other silver with diamonds. I picked up the golden one and put it on Niki's left ring finger, and then she did the same to me.

"Fisk Thompson, do you take Niki Long to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" he asked

"I do" I answered, tears forming in my eyes as I saw them fall from hers

"And do you, Niki Long, take Fisk Thompson to be you lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" he asked again

"I do" she replied, smiling as more tears fell

"Then with the power vested in me by the Emperor himself, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride" he said, then stepped back as we both embraced each other and passionately kissed, the noise of the applauding crowd in the background

We remained in the kiss for what seemed like mere moments, never wanting to break apart, but in the end we were there for almost a full minute before we broke apart. Everyone quieted down when two rickshaws came, one for me and one for her, so we could get changed for the dance. We weren't supposed to see each other at all outside the ceremony and before the dance. After the dance we can see each other as much as we want. It took another hour to get back home, meaning I slept most of the way I woke to the feeling of the rickshaw stopping. When I opened my eyes, I saw that we were back in the village next to my house. I got out and thanked the driver before rushing inside to get changed. I quickly threw off everything except a pair of boxer briefs I got in America which I found quite comfy. I ran into my bedroom, too excited to slow down, and grabbed the silk pants off my bed. I put them on quickly, then grabbed the black silk long sleeve shirt and put it on. I then fastened the white belt around my waist, hiding the bottom of the shirt and top of my pants. I then grabbed my nice slippers and put them on, walking into the bathroom to check myself out.

"Looking good, Master. Looking good" I said to the mirror, using my claws to brush my hair and adjusting anything that needed it

When I deemed myself ready, I grabbed my bow and guitar and left the house, closing the door behind me. The town was empty, everyone else up at the palace, making the darkness of the night very peaceful. I couldn't believe it…married. I was finally married! I didn't waste any more time before taking to flight, going as fast as I could to get up there. The doors weren't even open when I arrived, a line of people going halfway down the stairs waiting to get in. I flew over the doors so I could enter with no trouble, and no sooner did I land was I tackled by everyone who takes up residence in the Jade Palace, save for Shifu. Even Tigress was hugging me tightly.

"Congratulations, Fisk!" Viper exclaimed, her voice cracking partially

"Yes, you are a lucky man" Collin added, being the first to get off me

Once everyone was off, I got up and stretched, cracking my aching spine after the impact.

"Thank you, my friends. Is everything going according to plan?" I asked

"Yes, everything has gone perfectly. Let's keep it that way" Crane said, sounding proud of himself; I couldn't pass up the opportunity to mess with him

I put a look of disappointment on my face and walked over to the entrance of the hall of heroes. I ran my finger across the ground and looked closely at it, pretending to see dirt.

"This is horrible! Dirt, on the stone ground where the guests will be dancing!" I exclaimed, making Crane seem very worried

He frantically flew to where he left the broom and began sweeping while the rest of us held in our laughter. He was sweeping for five minutes before he realized there was no dirt.

"Wait a minute…the floor is spotless! There's not a speck of dirt on this ground" he said, looking at all of us as we burst into uncontrolled laughter, making him blush

"Sorry Crane, but I couldn't resist" I apologized, although not very sincere

"Yeah, yeah, just go sit at the head stand. Niki will be here shortly to take her place beside you, and then we'll let the guests in" he said, and I did as commanded

I walked into the hall of heroes and was amazed. The area where the dancing would take place was clear, but the eating area was lined with nice ivory colored tables, a rose colored candle in the center of each round table. There was also a bar set up which had drinks imported from America and Japan which included Whisky, Champaign, Fine Wine, and Sake. And at the beck of the hall in front of the sacred dragon pool was a stand with two seats for Niki and I. I walked back and sat in the chair on the left, seeing as its slightly elevated position gave it a good view of the entire hall. I put my bow and guitar underneath my chair for later use. After a few minutes I saw Mr. Ping walk in directing some goats who were carting in a huge cake, followed by more carts filled with food. They were led through another door where the food would be plated for distribution when everyone was seated.

It was a while more waiting until I heard footsteps on their way into the hall. And when they turned the corner, I was stunned. Niki was wearing the dress I bought her on our first date. The velvet colored silk look wondrous as it contrasted with her fur, which I noticed she'd apparently spent the time to cut and brush perfectly. I couldn't help but admire every curve and strand of fur I saw. She looked absolutely stunning! I hadn't even realized she was already sitting beside me.

"Better close that hatch before you start drooling" she said, giggling afterwards

I blushed as I closed my mouth, ripping my gaze off her body and putting it on her face. She was wearing a necklace with a red stone I didn't recognize. She told me it was her father's wedding present to her. It wasn't a few seconds after that when the guests started pouring in and grabbing seats for them and their families. The river of people flooding in made it seem like there would never be enough seats, but when the flow stopped I was surprised to find there was space to spare. When everyone was settled, Collin stood from his seat and walked to the middle of the room. His movement caused everyone to go silent respectfully.

"Now I've gotta say, this isn't what I expected my daughter's wedding to be like" he said, earning laughter, "I always thought she'd marry someone of high class who could provide much fortune for the continuation of my bloodline, but this…I never expected her to marry the fiercest warrior this world has ever seen" he said, making me wonder if he was complimenting me or not

"If you're trying to flatter me, you aren't doing a very good job" I said, making everyone laugh again

"Just wait, it gets better. At first, I wasn't completely on board when they began getting close, but as time went on, I saw Niki get happier and happier. I realized that the strength of my bloodline isn't as important as the happiness of it. And now here we are, gathered here to celebrate the unison of Fisk Thompson, and my daughter Niki Lo-…I mean Niki Thompson. That's gonna take some getting used to. Though it's hard to let go of my little girl, I know I'm leaving her in good hands" he finished, looking directly at us

"Thank you, Collin. I hope you're making the right choice" I said, once again earning laughter

"He is, I'm sure of it" Niki said, wrapping herself around my right arm

"Well, now we can get to the festivities. Dinner we be served shortly, so if you'd like there is a few minutes to dance. After dinner, the bride and groom will dance together followed by a song performed by the groom, then I'm sad to say they will be off and the party will be over. Enjoy!" he finished, then went back to his seat

With that, the musicians began to play some Chinese folk music that I hadn't heard before and about a third of the crowd got up to dance.

"Can you believe it? We're finally married" Niki said, sounding of unbelieving as I was

"I know. It seems like not too long ago I bought you that dress, now you're wearing it on our wedding day" I replied

From then on we were silent, watching people dance to the music. It was about four songs later that Collin told people to take their seats since dinner was about to be served. The appetizer a small bowl of pineapple fried rice, followed by the main course of something that was to be expected: Secret Ingredient Soup. As desert came along, people were beginning to get full, but when they rolled the red velvet cake with vanilla frosting out, their stomachs seemed to empty out again. The cake was ten layers high, making it twice Mr. Ping's height and the base layer almost as big around as Po. One slice was placed in front of each person, and a half a slice in front of each kid. It was no time before all the cake was gone.

"So, is everyone enjoying the night?" Collin asked, getting nods and 'mmmhmm's in reply

"Well, I'm glad, and as the night comes to close, we only have two more things planned. Fisk, Niki, now is the time for you two to dance together" he said, then motioned for us to come to the dance floor

I nodded and stood up, offering Niki my hand before she stood. She gladly took it and I helped her from her seat then walked her to the dance floor. The musicians then began playing a slow song that I hadn't ever heard before. It was slow and set a romantic mood, but was fast enough to do a more complicated dance. We started by swaying to the rhythm of the music, but as it slowly got more intense so did the dancing. I was spinning and twirling her around, and as the dance came to its conclusion I threw her into the air, then flew up and caught her before she began to fall. After landing, the music ended and everyone applauded. Niki was breathing hard after the dance, which was understandable since it was a five minute straight dance. We took our seat to rest for a little while before I did my song, as requested by Collin.

"That was fun" Niki said

"Yeah…it's sad the party is already almost over" I replied

"I know, but I'm glad I get to walk out with you" she said, then pulled my arm around her so she could lean against my chest

We sat there in our own silence while everyone else talked on. Nothing around us seemed relevant as we sat there, melting into our own little world. Our trance was only broken by the voice of not Collin, but Sky calling my name. I opened my eyes to see everyone was now silent and looking at us.

"Sorry to interrupt, but didn't you have a song to perform?" Sky asked, smiling

I laughed at myself and nodded, reluctantly pulling away from Niki and reaching under my seat to grab my guitar. I pulled it out and made sure it was tuned before beginning the song You And Me by Lifehouse.

"What day is it? And in what Month this clock never seemed so alive. I can't keep up…and I can't back down I've been losing…so much time. Cuz there's you and me, and all other people and nothing to do. Nothing to lose and it's you and me, and all other people and I don't know why…I can't keep my hand off of you. What are the things that I want to say just start coming alright. I'm tripping on words. You got my head spinning…I don't know where to go from here. Cuz there's you and me…and all other people and nothing to do, nothing to prove and it's you and me. And all other people and I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you. There's something about you now, that I can't quite figure out. Everything she does is beautiful. Everything she does is right. Cuz it's you and me, and all other people with nothing to do. Nothing to lose and it's you and me, and all other people and I don't know why. I can't keep my eyes off of you and me, and all other people with nothing to do, nothing to prove and it's you and me, and all other people and I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you. What day is it? And in what month? This clock never seemed so alive…"

In concluding the song, everyone broke out in applause and I was wrapped in a tight hug by Niki, who had tears streaming down her cheeks. I put my guitar down and hugged her back.

"I love you" I said

"I love you too" she replied, tightening her death hug

When the applause quieted down, Collin announced that the party was now over and that everyone needed to remain seated while Niki and I left. We were about to get up when Sky stopped us.

"To get you guys there faster, I've prepared a technique to teleport you guys there. You will arrive at the front door, where you will be greeted by the keeper of the temple. He will give you a room, and I've already sent him your normal cloths. Please step in front of me" he said

I nodded and led Niki down with me after grabbing my bow to where we were directly in front of Sky. He closed his eyes for a second before his dual spear seemed to form from the air around him into his hand. When it was fully formed, he opened his eyes and began to some weird maneuvers all around us, and Niki seemed nervous as fire formed a dome around us. I held her close to comfort her as the fire met above us. We were in there for what felt like minutes, but I couldn't tell. All I knew was that when the fire disappeared, we were at the entrance of the temple with what looked like a sloth in front of us.

"Welcome to the temple of the joined. I've been expecting you...though not in such a manor. Allow me to show you your quarters" he said, then began walking into the temple. On the way to our room, he pointed out the bathing area, the kitchen, the Tai Chi exercise area, the meditation area, and the training area. We eventually found the bedroom, where we found a huge bed. It was big enough to fit the two of the fattest pandas, and long enough to accommodate the tallest of animals.

"You will be staying here. This room has everything you will need. Spare pillows, sheets, extra blankets, and other things the newly wed couples might need. Now, I will leave you to your business. Oh, and congratulations" he said, then before I could reply, walked out, closing the wooden door behind him

I took time to look around the room, noting the different items there were. A table at each side of the bed, my clothes on one and Niki's on the other. I was about to look inside the drawers in mine but I was stopped by a hand on my shoulder pulling me around. I was about to protest to her forcefulness, but I was silenced by her lips on mine.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 18

I woke the next morning still on top of Niki. The blanket was now pulled over us, and I could tell Niki was awake, but enjoying the presence of me on top of her. Her eyes were closed, but the goofy smile spread across her face was something nobody could make in their sleep.

"Morning," I said, making her jump, "scare you?"

"Yes, but if this is how we wake up every morning, then I'll take the heart attack" she replied, then pulled me down into a passionate kiss, which was broken all too soon by me

"Every morning? I don't think my loins can handle that" I joked, making her laugh as I got up to put on some cloths

I could feel her embarrassment as her eyes burned holes in my back. It radiated off of her like heat from the sun. As I opened a drawer to pull out a clean pair of American boxers so graciously delivered by someone unknown, I spoke.

"See something you like?" I asked, glancing behind me to see that she had wrapped herself in a blanket. She quickly turned her gaze when I looked

I laughed and slipped on the boxers before grabbing my silk pants and vest. I put those on and turned around to be greeted by the sight of Niki putting on her own pants. She already wrapped her chest loosely in the linen wrapping, so I had no good view. I walked around and pinched her thigh, making her squeal.

"I'm heading in to do some morning Tai Chi. I'll be in the kitchen for breakfast in a few" I said, then gave her a quick peck on the lips before walking out of the bedroom

I walked down the large corridor into the main hall, which branched out into multiple other areas. I took the path I knew led to the Tai Chi exercise area, and upon arrival found another person there. It was a male Jackal, and he was doing the exact exercise I was going to. The sight surprised me, as I thought we were the only ones here. I stood in the doorway and cleared my throat, grabbing his attention. He turned around and greeted me with a welcoming smile.

"Morning, friend. Come to exercise like me?" he asked

"Yes, I hope you don't mind my presence. I thought my wife and I were the only two here" I replied, walking in

"Not at all. It's a honeymoon resort. You aren't the only one in china who can get married" he said, smiling as I took a spot beside him and began the exercise

As we went through the exercise, I could feel my body relaxing, but I could also feel my muscles beginning to burn as we got farther in. Tai Chi is meant to let the energy flow through your body, but as a bonus the exercises build up muscle power, so it really helps the martial artist in many ways. As we closed the morning exercise, I felt rejuvenated beyond believe. After my exertions the night before, it was very nice to let my energy flow. We didn't speak again until after we were finished. Through the rest of the trip I felt as if nothing could ruin what I then had or make it better. I felt as if my journey was over. Little did I know of the future, and how my perspective changed when twelve months later I awake to the sound of crying in the next room over…


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 19

After the honeymoon, I soon discovered what was in store for me. Viper was the first to see the signs of Niki's condition, but soon enough they were clear to all of us. Frequent vomiting, eating non-stop yet never feeling satisfied as if she wasn't eating at all, and it was evident as the bulge in her stomach grew. Over the months it got harder for her to move. I was worried for her health, but one day Viper pulled me aside to talk.

"It's about Niki" She said

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" I asked

"Yes" Viper replied

"Tell me" I commanded. She remained silent. "Viper?"

"Fisk, she's pregnant!"

Over the next few months the baby grew, and then was born. Viper aided in the delivery while I waited outside the room as requested by Viper and okayed by Niki. After what seemed like hours of hearing Niki scream and Viper shout out commands, I was invited back into the room to meet my new daughter. I walked into the room and saw Niki holding her. The baby's snout wasn't as long as Niki's, but not as short as mine, and her fur was snow white and freshly cleaned by the nurses who normally work in the palace infirmary. Her eyes were open, which had the nurses astonished, and she was looking right up at her mother. Tears were still falling from Niki's eyes as she looked at me.

"Come meet your new daughter" she said

As I got closer, Niki extended the baby in my direction. Nervously I took her in my arms, and her gaze turned to me.

"Hey baby girl. I'm your daddy" I said, feeling tears well up in my eyes. I looked at Niki, "What should we name her?"

"You decide…you're better with names" She replied

I looked down at the baby, and she looked up at me, and the color of her eyes seemed never-ending. It was as if I was looking into the night sky and it just shimmered with endless stars lighting up the entire universe.

"Star…her name will be Star"

"I'm coming! I heard the screaming and thought you might need my awesome-" _*Thud*_ "Owe! What happened?" Po said as he came running into the medical building, running into one of the support beams on the way in. He got his answers as soon as he walked in the door, first looking at the blood covered towels, then at Niki, then me, then the baby. He seemed kind of sick at the sight, "Oh, you…had your baby…you…" _*Thump*_

The ground shook as Po fell, passing out on sight of all the blood. This made everyone laugh, even in the time we were in. Tigress, who was silent the entire time leaning against the back wall, walked over and rolled Po out of the room, returning after a few minutes, followed by Sky entering the room. For the longest time he just stood and stared, but finally spoke.

"She's beautiful" he said

When I heard his voice, it brought my thoughts to one thing.

"Can you tell if she's a Xing?" I asked

Everyone's attention was grabbed, knowing what a warrior she could become if she was.

"It's too soon. No powers awaken this early in a Xing's life. Be patient, the time will come. Train her, both of you, and prepare her for if it does happen. Make her ready" He replied, looking both of us dead in the eyes

Without words, Niki and I nodded, then looked down at Star, who was switching glances between us. It seemed she already had a connection with us…only by a look in her eyes.

 **Ten years later…**

I was already awake that morning. I'd awakened to the sound of my father shuffling around in bed. Today was my tenth birthday, a day my mother and father seemed to be fearing, anticipating, and dreading for as long as I could remember for reasons they never told me. I'd made my way up to the Sacred Peach Tree, located at one of the highest points of the Jade Palace, home of the Furious Five, said to be the greatest warriors of their time, but they never impressed me. They could never beat my father, and I'd seen them spar all against him at once. The only warrior who seemed great in the palace was someone who seemed to be the wisest in the valley. I'd never had a long talk with him, but he guided me through everything I did with a simple metaphor for each lesson.

His name was Sky. An old tiger who couldn't be beaten by even Shifu, and was the only one who could ever match my father. Though neither of them were as close to me as Tigress. Our relationship began as her getting me out of trouble. I was a free spirit, so I would often wonder into the bamboo forest alone to see what I could find, and often found trouble. Tigress was always watching me from a distance, though, and ended up saving me then scolding me about my stupidity. But even though she seemed a little too strict, she became like a big sister to me, which, I must say, made viper quite jealous. Tigress was the one who taught me my first few lessons in Kung Fu before being stopped by my father, who said it was too dangerous.

So anyways, I'd gone up to the Peach Tree before sunrise to meditate and my parents' alertness. I couldn't find an explanation to it, and was extremely confused.

"Up so early little one?" I heard behind me

I turned around to see Shifu, standing by the trunk of the tree, looking at me questioningly.

"Yes master, my father is a noisy sleeper and woke me" I lied

"You're a clever liar, little one, but I sense in you much confusion. What is bothering you?" He asked, taking a few steps toward me

"It's my parents. They seemed to be dreading the day I turn ten, and never told me why. Now I'm ten and haven't got a clue what's going to happen" I replied

"Well, I can't tell you the reason why they've been dreading today, because that's something they must tell you. But I will say that today is when you decide just how important your father has been to China and the entire world. Be patient and you will discover something but a chosen few discover in their lifetime" He finished, then began to walk away, but stopped. "Oh, and happy birthday, Star"

End of Part 2

 **So, here is the second leg, completed. Let me clear some things up: Yes, America was in the 21** **st** **century, I don't know what I was thinking but that's how it is. I think it was because I sucked at history class, but I'm not entirely sure. And don't ask me how the actual cast of KFP stays young as the generations of my characters pass, I have no idea. Anyways, I'll post the third and final leg to this story when I have completed it. You can either read along with it on its column which I update chapter-by-chapter, or wait for it to be completely posted here. Either way, thank you!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Hey guys, I found some unseen episodes of the Kung Fu Panda show, so I've got a few things to go off of, so you get to see a little bit of the new leg of this journey before I once again cut it off. I'll try to make the events last as long as possible before it ends again. If I can, I'll make them last until the end of 2015, when KFP 3 comes to theaters. Enjoy!**

A Journey's End

Chapter 1

As I sat there thinking about Shifu's words to me, time went by quickly. Before I knew it the sunlight was draped over the palace and the morning gong had just been sounded. A few minutes later I heard everyone chatting as they made their way down to the kitchen for breakfast. As if on cue to them reaching the kitchen, I felt the vibrations of my father hitting the ground behind me.

"Star, your mother is preparing breakfast. Time to head down" He said

"Alright" I replied, standing up

He picked me up in his arms without warning, making me squeal with glee and laugh as he flew us down to our house. We were both smiling as we walked in. I could smell the bean buns in the air and the Jasmine Tea, making my mouth water.

"Morning mom" I said, sitting at my spot at the table

"Morning sweaty, did you sleep alright?" She asked

"Yeah, I slept great. Are we going anywhere today?" I asked

"Yes, we're going up to the Jade Palace for an important meeting with Sky and everyone. As you know, today is a big day" She replied, smiling at me as she placed a plate in front of me. Though as she said this my father's face seemed grim

I ate my food quickly before going to wash up and prepare for whatever they had planned. Whenever there was a planned meeting with Sky, it was of great importance. I made sure my hair was correctly tied into the short wolf tail I normally have it in, and my clothes were in order. I wear an orange silk vest, a popular style among my family, and black silk pants. At the waste I have a white linen belt which wraps around the entirety of my mid-section. Once everything was in order, I went back into the front room where my parents were waiting for me.

"Ready to go?" my father asked

"Yes" I replied

With that, we all left and went straight to the Jade Palace Steps. Not wasting any time, Father picked both me and Mother up and flew us to the top. His strength always amazed me; nobody could match it! The gates to the palace were closed when we arrived. Before knocking, my parents gave me the once-over to make sure I was completely in order. When they deemed me ready, Father knocked on the gate once. It immediately opened, revealing everyone. Grandfather, Shifu, The Five, Po, and even Aunt Lucy all stood in a line behind Sky. Mother ushered me forwards, and for reasons unknown I was unbelievably nervous. I could tell that whatever happened now, my life would change.

"Good morning Fisk. Niki, your looking beautiful as ever! Star, happy birthday" Sky said, greeting all of us individually. He then turned his attention to me as my parents left my side and stood in line with everyone else.

"Star, do you know why you are here?" He asked

"No. I haven't been told anything about why today is so important" I replied, followed by him kneeling down so we were at eyes level with each other.

"Well, let me start by telling you something of a legend. Generations ago, there was a man whose name legend says meant "Light". He was an unbelievably strong man. But, he wasn't of this world. He was of another dimension, where anything that could talk was of the same species. He was known as a human. And this human was a natural born fighter. He saw this in himself, and went on to master each and every form of fighting known on the entire planet. And he succeeded" Sky said

"Wow! He must have been the strongest master in the world!" I said, having a Po-like reaction to the story

"And he was. His name became known across the entire globe, and every army wanted his help. But in his travels, he discovered a power within himself which he could use to summon great attacks made of pure energy. This power was forever known as the Xing Energy. He used it to create a weapon suited to only him which acted as an enhancer to make his attacks that much stronger. He was the first Xing ever to be known. But all his power should never have been boasted about. He wasn't the only incredibly strong person alive. Someone of a darker nature, Hēi'àn, whose name means Darkness, discovered a darker power. The power of the…well, darkness. Hēi'àn used this power to rally any army to stand against the Xing, and the Xing was forced to fell them all. But half of them were much too strong to remain dead. They rose from the underworld as beings of much greater power. They rose as Phantoms; creatures made of dark energy. So another army rose against the old Xing, but by now he'd trained his two sons, and together they used their Xing energy to defeat the army of phantoms, but at the cost of the old Xing's life. His sons were left to carry on the legacy. One of them left to faraway lands to seek out the remaining Phantoms, while the other stayed and trained all who had within them the Xing energy. My mentor was one of the first, and he trained a young boy and girl.

"Is the boy you?" I asked, confused

"Yes, little one, the boy was me. But the girl was also me, at one point" he said. My confusion must have shown, because he continued the story, "Just listen, Star. Everything will make sense. As the boy and girl trained, they grew close together. My mentor saw this, and the girl was sent away to be trained with someone else. The boy was sad, but continued his training until he had one final form of martial arts to learn: Kung Fu. But then, disaster struck. A new army of phantoms, once again led by Hēi'àn, burst into the world with no Xing prepared. The Xing were nearly wiped out, but the boy used his power to transport himself to this world, bringing with him only his staff and the following prophecy: In one final conflict, two breaths turned one, and the light be brung. The boy sought out Shifu to be trained, but was in turn trained by Tigress. He mastered Kung Fu, but the phantoms found the boy again. This time, though, he had help. The girl had also survived, and found him in the valley of peace. They fought off the Phantoms together, but in the final battle against Hēi'àn himself, the girl was killed. In a last dish effort to defeat the Darkness, the boy absorbed the girl's essence, doubling his strength and allowing him to defeat the Darkness. The result was my creation. When the two of them melded together, they became me, and I defeated Hēi'àn. I then found your father at age ten, who had the Xing energy. I trained him as much as I could before he set off around the world to train in the fighting styles I could not teach. While gone, he learned that the Phantoms will return, along with their leader, and we must prepare" He finished

"Is my dad really that strong?" I asked

"Yes, my power matches that of Sky himself" Father said, smirking

"Star, do you know why you are here?" Sky asked again

"No, I still don't understand" I replied

"You are here so I can see if you possess the Xing Energy within yourself" He clarified

I gasped. Could I really be so powerful as a Xing? Could I be so important in the world?

"It's time for me to see. Star, I need you to hold very still. This might feel weird" Sky said, and then put his hand on my head

He closed his eyes and began rhythmic breathing. I could feel a strange tingling going all over my body, as if I was being scanned by something. After a few minutes, Sky removed his hand, opened his eyes and looked up at my father with a grave expression on his face.

"She's not"

 **KABOOM! One more story and chapter for the book! Short and slow chapter, but I feel it gives more backstory and is a refresher for the memory. R &R Please!**


	30. Chapter 30

**As you all know, I'll be trying my best to make this stuff last. Certain chapters will go by without event, some will go by with small events, some will have big events. You guys will just have to see!**

Chapter 2

"She's not"

Sky's words seemed to kill my father, and for some reason I was disappointed as well. I had no time to really be excited about being a Xing, yet discovering I wasn't one hurt. But the news brought Father down on his knees. Thinking he was hurt, both Viper and I rushed to his side. We tried to help him up, but he pushed us away and said he was fine.

"Just surprised is all. Now we know" He said, standing up, "Her zodiac is the monkey, so I think it best she begin training in that style of Kung Fu"

Everyone seemed to have some form of confusion lifted from them when he said that.

"That explains her mischievous nature. Master Monkey, do you think you're ready to take on your first student?" Shifu asked

Monkey seemed surprised at the request, but eager to except, "Yes Master, we will begin as soon as Star is ready"

"Now!" I interjected excitedly, making everyone giggle

As if on cue to my training's start, Zeng, the messenger of the palace, flew into the courtyard yelling for Master Shifu.

"What is it, Zeng?" Shifu asked as the goose landed in front of us all

"A village on the outskirts is under attack. They say he fights beside a black demon" Zeng calmly but quickly said

"You think it's a phantom?" My father asked, looking directly at Sky

"I don't know, but we best go with the five just in case" Sky replied

I sighed. I got so excited to start and now my master is leaving.

"Monkey, you stay here and start with star. With both Fisk and Sky going with, I'm sure we can handle it" Viper said, winking at me. I smiled gratefully as Monkey nodded in agreement

When everyone was gone, Monkey led me into the training hall to begin.

"Kung Fu has many different forms, but remains in everything we do. Can you name one form of Kung Fu other than fighting?" Monkey asked as we walked in

"I didn't know Kung Fu had anything to do with anything else, Master" I replied, feeling slightly ashamed

"Don't feel bad, nobody gets it on the first try. You will learn, Star" He said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder

"One example of Kung Fu beyond combat is Pottery. Pottery is an art; it takes a lifetime to master every aspect. Well, for the normal person anyways. Your father and Sky could master it in a month tops. Anyways, just remember that fighting is all Kung Fu is for. Kung Fu is all about your own self values. It actually means "Excellence of Self", but right now, we are going to start with the fighting stuff. The true meaning of Kung Fu comes with life. I know Tigress taught you a few things. How much do you know?" Monkey asked

"She only taught me a spin kick before Father stopped her" I replied

"Well, that's good. The spin kick is just a move; she taught you nothing of the Tiger style. You see, Kung Fu has many styles as well. The Tiger Style is aggressive, strong, and fearless. It is based on strength and power. You will be learning the Monkey Style. This is based on Agility, Mobility, and strategically placed attacks. Also, it uses some confusion. Attacks which seem random and confuse the opponent. Are you ready to begin?" he asked

"Yes Master" I eagerly replied, a smile across my face

"Alright, show me how good you can do a spin kick" He said

I nodded and got into the stance Tigress showed me and prepared to do as instructed.

"Let me stop you there. Your stance is part of the Tiger style. You'll need to learn a Monkey stance. Let me show you" He said, partial aggravating me

He then lowered his position, spreading his legs and bending at the knees. After that, he pulled his right arm close to his chest, nearly bending his elbow to the max and placing his hand an inch away from his chest. His other arm was extended nearly to the max, slightly bent at the elbow and lowered slightly at the shoulder. Both his hands were in the same position. His thumb was bent to a ninety degree angle at the second knuckle. His pointer and index fingers were fully extended, placed tightly together, while his final two fingers were curled up. It was as if his hands were half way in fists, half in palm position. I studied it for a few moments before mimicking it.

"Widen your legs a little, and hold the stance strong. If an enemy attacks, you must not be able to be thrown off balance" Monkey commanded

I did as he said and was surprised to feel I fit into the stance naturally.

"Now, do the spin kick" he said

I nodded and prepared. When I was ready, I leapt forward into the air, spinning around and kicking the air. I landed and returned to the stance I was shown, this time facing Monkey.

"Very good, Star! You've got that move quite well down. Let's move on to something a bit more advanced"

Over the course of that day, I learned many different moves. But Monkey said the moves I learned were basic, but were still some of the few moves I will ever need to learn. He said that to be good at Kung Fu, I'd need to train my reflexes. I don't need to know many fancy moves, just where to put the moves in in a fight. I was exhausted nevertheless after training, and it ended that day right as my Father, Sky, and the others returned. Except for Po, who must have just gone home.

"So what was it?" Monkey asked

"A disappointment; it was just Fung and the Crocodile Bandits. Fung just had his buddies dress up in a cheap Phantom costume to scare people away while he looted their homes" Tigress said, walking into the training hall to resume her training

"How was training, sweaty?" Father asked, grabbing my attention

"Tiring. Monkey says I'm pretty good, but I feel I shouldn't be so tired after doing so little" I replied

Father then kneeled down in front of me and put a hand on my shoulder, "Don't worry, your stamina will build with time. Let's head on home, I'm sure your mother is preparing dinner now"

I nodded and together we walked down the Jade Palace steps and to our home. As we walked by Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop, I couldn't help but overhear Mr. Ping yelling at the crowd in the shop.

"The Qilin is real, and lives somewhere in the Sin Sou Forest! And I'll prove it!" Mr. Ping yelled

"I thought you said it was giant?" One of the customers taunted

"Nothing is too giant for the Dragon Warrior! Come on, son" Ping retorted. That's all I heard before we got too far away

"Dad, what's the Qilin?" I asked

"It's an old bedtime story parents tell their kids to keep them from wondering into the Sin Sou forest and to get them to eat their food. It's fake" he replied

"Mr. Ping seems to believe it's real" I retorted, looking him square in the face

"Why don't I tell you the story over dinner tonight? Then will you believe me when I say it isn't real?" he asked

"Maybe. I'll have to judge for myself" I replied sternly, making him chuckle

Just then we arrived home. Mother had platters of Dim Sum on the table ready to eat along with many different Tea varieties. My mouth was instantly watering as I sat down at the table. As we got our first servings, Father told Mother of the story I wanted to hear, and she chuckled before saying he should begin.

"Alright, the legend of the Qilin is not pretty. For it says that deep in the Sin Sou forest lives an evil creature. A creature which hungers for the minds of children who wonder into his Forest. Any child who wonders in gets their head chewed off as the Qilin feeds on their very mind. But legend has it, every night the Qilin leaves the forest to hunt down the children with empty stomachs, because empty stomachs mean empty minds and empty minds taste the sweetest to the Qilin" he finished

"Wow, seems like this creature should be hunted down" I stated, taking another bite of my food

"And it would be if it were real, but as I said, it's only a bed time story. No more real than the tooth fairy" Father replied

"Yes, and if anything at least learn from it and know not to go wondering into the Sin Sou forest" Mother added

"Alright, but why does Mr. Ping so sincerely believe it is real?" I asked

"Well, don't get me wrong, I love Mr. Ping, but let's just say he may have hit his head one too many times with a walk. He's not all lights on upstairs" Father replied

I had just then finished my food, not far behind my parents. Mother grabbed all the dishes and went to wash them while Father cleaned up the table.

"So, what do you think? Real, or fake?" Father asked

"Fake. Doesn't seem believable" I replied, handing Mother my plate

"Right. Now go wash up and get into bed. Training tomorrow, and it will only get harder as you get better" Father said, leaning down and kissing me on the forehead before sending me off

"Night mom" I said

"Night honey, sweet dreams" she replied

With that I retreated to my bedroom, but little did my parents know I had other plans. When the door was shut, I immediately grabbed my small tent, back pack, and filled my canteen with water and hid the bag under my cot. I then got into bed and waited for my mother to come say one last goodnight, which she did. When she was gone, I grabbed my bag and snuck out my window. I swiftly moved around the house and into the deserted streets, where I made my way to the exit of town and to the path which led to the Sin Sou forest. It wasn't even an hour before I arrived at the tree line where the forest began, and I was instantly nervous. The forest was dark, most the trees seeming dead. But I was determined and pushed myself past my fears and into the forest. It was dark, and I couldn't clearly make out my surroundings. The outline of trees, some rocks here and there. I'd been walking for at least two hours before I got tired and sat down to rest.

"Maybe the Qilin really isn't out here…isn't real" I said out loud to myself, nearly deciding the truth of the tale

Just then, I heard a twig snap behind me. I shot up off the rock I was sitting on and turned around, scanning the darkness for movement. I then heard what sounded like a trigger being pulled and a slight whistle in the air. Before I knew what happened I was flying through the air, a bright light where I once stood and rubble flying every direction.

"Drat, I missed! Worry not, villain, your evil life will soon meat its end!" I heard someone say in a military-commander toned voice

Just as I looked up from where I lay, I saw a smaller stalk ox take aim at me with a weird looking crossbow. Without waiting, I jumped up from my spot and dove to the side just in time for another explosion to send me flying. This time I landed on all fours and slid to a stop. My heart was racing and I was terrified.

"Wait! I'm not a villain!" I yelled, pleading him to cease his assault

"So evil takes the form of little girls now? I will rid the world of your kind!" he replied, then shot again

I ducked under the arrow and it exploded some distance behind me. I then took off running as fast as I could to get away from this guy. As I ran I could hear arrows flying by, barely missing me as I avoided the explosions. As I ran it became evident that I was lost. I hadn't a clue where I was going and was quickly growing tired. When I was too tired to run for much longer, I decided to try and pull a loop on the guy. I made a quick sharp right turn, a smirk on my face as I was proud of my plan, but time seemed to slow down as an arrow passed in front of my face. I watched it in slow motion as it hit a tree a few inches from me and detonated. The explosion sent me flying far, rolling to a painful halt on a boulder as I slammed into it. When I opened my eyes, the ox was slowly walking up to me. I was paralyzed with fear as he got within five feet of me and took aim at my chest.

"Any last words?" he asked, a smirk on his face

In fear I closed my eyes and said a few pleas for my own life to be spared, but was ignored. Just as I felt I was about to die, I heard the sound of a painful impact followed by the sound of two separate people landing on the ground. I opened my eyes to see the Ox guy on the ground feeling his jaw while a familiar snow leopard only a few years my senior standing in a defensive position between me and him.

"Peng!" I yelled with joy

"Stay behind me Star, this guy won't go down easy. He's not very smart" Peng commanded

"I noticed" I replied, standing up and taking a place behind him.

"So, the nephew of Tai Lung finally joining the evil side to, eh? I'll kill you both!"

 **Cliffhanger once again. In case nobody knew, Qilin is pronounced Chi-lin. I don't know why Chinese spelling is like that, but that's the way it is. See you guys next time!**


	31. Chapter 31

**And I'm back again with one more chapter. I think I'm doing well with spreading these events out since this one lasted two chapters. Anyways, read on!**

Chapter 3

"I'll kill you both!" The Ox yelled before charging at us, dropping his crossbow and pulling out a sword from locations unknown

As he charged, Peng pushed me to the side before jumping over the Ox and kicked him to the ground before landing. The ox was quick to his feet.

"General, calm down! Neither of us are evil, you're not thinking straight!" Peng pleaded, but his voice was ignored

The Ox charged again, this time stopping in front of Peng in order to start every which-way with the odd looking sword he held. Peng did nothing to fight back; he only dodged the blade and knocked the Ox back if he got the chance. I was getting increasingly worried as Peng got pushed back. I was confident in his skills, but my fur still stood on end. My heart stopped when he was knocked to the ground and time seemed to slow once again as the Ox raised his sword in both hands with the blade facing down, ready to impale the downed Peng. I don't know what came over me, but I reacted by running up and using a spin kick, one of the only moves I know, to knock the Ox away and stand between him and Peng.

"St-Star, don't" Peng said weakly, trying to stand but finding himself immobile

My heart was racing as the Ox laughed. I tried to look fierce, but I couldn't help but tremble with fear.

"This will be easy" The Ox said as he tossed his sword aside and began slowly walking up to me

I gathered as much nerve as I could before he was close enough and I attacked. I tried to throw a punch as his face, but he caught my fist and quickly punched me in the stomach, knocking the air from my lungs and sending me to my knees. I clenched my gut and gasped for air, but couldn't bring any in. I then felt my body leave the ground as I was backhanded and sent flying a few feet from where I was. I landed on my front after spiraling through the air, and found myself in too much pain to stand up. I could only look as the Ox approached, and before anything more could happen he kicked me, sending me rolling into a tree and making me cry out in pain. I opened my eyes just in time to see the Ox's foot come crashing down on my chest, making me let out a long and loud scream of my own agony. I could swear I was feeling my ribs crack underneath his foot. After a few moments of this, he walked over and picked up a rock about half his size, seeming impossible to lift yet he did. He carried it above his head and over to me, where he prepared to smash me underneath it. In one final attempt to escape I managed to get myself into a seated position before I saw the boulder fall towards me. But suddenly, I was flying through the air again, and when I came rolling to a stop and I heard the boulder crash down, I was confused. My confusion left me when I looked and saw Peng, unconscious beneath the boulder.

"Peng!" I screamed and tried to crawl over to him, but was stopped by the Ox once again kicking me away.

Tears fell from my eyes as more pain from his assault swept over my body. I could only crack my eyes open to see the Ox walk over and pick up his sword and walk back. He lifted the sword above his head in the same position as when I first attacked, ready to run me through.

"Please…no" I weakly pleaded to no avail

"Two more villains down" he said

I let me eyes begin to close as he prepared to run me through, and just as his sword was coming down, a flash of golden light sent him flying backwards. The last thing I saw was a dark figure looming over the dust of the blast before I blacked out. I woke to the soothing feeling of something like a message on my entire body. I opened my eyes and saw my father with his hands moving all over my body while glowing with a golden light.

"D-dad?" I shallowly asked, not believing I could've survived

He immediately stopped what he was doing and looked me in the eyes, "She's awake"

"Star!" I heard my mother's voice as I was picked up and embraced in a hug

"What happened?" I asked, then all my memory flooded back, "Oh my gods, where's Peng?" I yelled as I broke free of my mother and stood up

"He's fine, Sky is healed him. He was in worse condition than you, but Sky's advanced knowledge of healing saved him. He's resting now" Father said, "What were you doing in that forest?"

"I wanted to see if the Qilin was real or not…I'm sorry" I said as I felt more tears well up from my guilt

Father pulled me into a hug and rocked me back and forth to comfort me, "Don't ever scare us like that again"

"Ok" I forced out and tucked myself into his chest

We stayed like this an unknown period of time before a loud noise from outside broke us apart. It was easy to tell it was Po being thrown around since the vibrations we felt were too great to be anyone else; and also his grunts from the impact gave it away. My Father quickly let go of me and ran outside with Mother in close pursuit. I followed, but remained standing at the door while they ran out. I first spotted Po and the Five all on the ground, but the next thing that grabbed my attention was a large metal object attached to a chain which came flying through the air and hit my father as soon as he was in view.

"Fisk!" My mother yelled but soon followed Father as a Chain Hammer hit her as well

Father was quickly up and to her side, but she wasn't as sturdy as him and remained on the ground. His facial expressions meant nothing since you could feel the anger radiating off of him.

"Lin Quai" He said quietly but sternly

Suddenly a wolf stepped into view.

"Fisk Thompson, I'd have thought your reflexes wouldn't have allowed you to be knocked down so easily"

"Hai Lang, I would have deemed you smarter than to mess with my wife, KEEYAH!" Father yelled as he charged the wolf holding the chain hammer

However, the wolf didn't flinch, and it seemed my father only passed him by. Father looked confused for a moment, then turned around and started throwing punches and kicks at the wolf I then knew as Hai Lang. But it didn't seem like the attacks ever made contact.

"Is he missing on purpose?" I wondered, but as I took a closer look, my confusion was revoked

His attacks weren't missing Hai Lang, but passing through him. Somehow he became something of a ghost and Fathers attacks weren't able to actually make contact. As if on cue to my realization, Hai Lang began to chuckle.

"Having trouble, panther?" He asked, followed by a spin kick that knocked my father back

"You know…'Panther' doesn't sound as good as 'panda', so stick to using that with Po" Father replied before attacking again

After another flurry of attacks passed without a single one successful before Hai Lang picked up his hammer and quickly hit Father with it, sending him flying back.

"Master Fisk, you disappoint me! Someone of your power should have figured out a way around the Phantom Stone" Hai Lang taunted

"Phantom what?" Father asked

"Fisk, it has nothing to do with the phantoms" Po forced out from the ground, "It's a relic which allows him to became invincible"

"I see" Father said, but before anything else could happen he was once again knocked back by the chain hammer

After standing back up, Father seemed to be debating something, and then he stood straight up and placed two fingers of his right hand to his lips. I could see his lips moving as he mumbled something and then he aimed those two fingers at Hai Lang, who stood without a flinch. Suddenly, a beam of golden light burst from my Father's fingers and flew straight at Hai Lang, but disappointingly passed through him and created a small explosion behind him.

"Damn it!" Father cursed

"Hahaha, you think a light show is enough? Try again" Hai Lang taunted and again sent him flying with his chain hammer

"Father!" I stupidly screamed without thought, grabbing the attention of Hai Lang

"Father? So, the great Master Fisk has a daughter…I think things just got a little more interesting" he said, then began a painfully slow walk in my direction

I was paralyzed with fear. I looked at my father, and saw only a pained expression which looked for an answer for how to beat this wolf. My attention returned to Hai Lang when I saw a chain hammer swinging above his head. I closed my eyes. I could hear my father screaming at him and I could hear the swish in the air from his attacks, so I knew he was trying his hardest to stop what was inevitable. But when I finally heard the crash of the hammer, it was at least ten yards to my right and a few feet lower than me. I opened my eyes confused, but found myself being held in bridal position by a familiar male Tiger.

"Sky!" I yelled with glee

"What?!" Hai Lang exclaimed, clearly confused

"Fisk, remember the light! You control it and anything it touches!" Sky yelled at my father, who now had a look of realization spread across his face

All of the sudden, a smirk appeared on his face and he stood up. He then began slowly walking towards Hai Lang, who looked confused but retorted by going for another hit with his chain hammer. But Father did a swift but basic dodge, so the attack failed. Hai Lang tried again; another failure. This pattern continued until my father reached close enough range to attack, and attack he did. Father used a spin kick, and it successfully made contact and knocked Hai Lang back. He looked completely and utterly flabbergasted. His face was painted with surprise.

"But how?!" He half asked, half yelled

"I control the light, and if the light can touch you, so can I!" Father yelled in reply before running up and throwing a blur of punches and jabs at Hai Lang

The wolf hadn't a single clue how to reciprocate the attacks, and I myself could barely see what attacks were being thrown. I was able to make out the final attacks as my father send his right palm to Hai Lang's jaw, making him stumble backwards, then did a quick 360 to gain force in the butterfly strike which followed. This attack sent Hai Lang flying backwards and caused him to drop the weird looking rock I identified as the Phantom Stone. Staring in disbelief, Hai Lang stood and put on an obviously fake fierce look of anger.

"This isn't over, Panther! I'll be back!" He said before turning and running back towards the exit of town

"I'll be waiting!" Father yelled back, then quickly grabbed the stone and ran to check everyone. "Is everyone alright?"

"We've been better. Once again you've shown up just in the nick of time. But we could use some healing if it's alright with you" Viper said, lifting her head while the rest of her body remained motionless

I didn't even notice that I was now standing on the ground until I saw Sky jog over to aid in the healing. Feeling it was safe, I also ran over to check on my mother, who Father had just finished healing. I immediately wrapped her in a hug which she returned quickly.

"Thank you…for saving Star" I heard father say

"What else would I have done, let her be harmed or worse? You know I couldn't let that happen" Sky replied

I looked up just in time to see them laugh and hug each other.

"Still need healing" Mantis groaned from next to me; I hadn't even seen him there

I saw Sky point at him and a blue bolt shot at him. As soon as it hit Mantis, he was up and about, not even saying thank you. After Mantis came Monkey and Crane who were lying on the ground near each other. My father had already healed Tigress and he was cautiously working his hands over Viper who was giving him a death stare. The stare intensified as he reached the middle part of her lower half.

"Mom, why is Viper looking at Father like that?" I curiously asked

"Hmm, that's a talk for when you're older, Star" She replied

I glanced at her for a moment, and then shrugged it off. I once again had my attention drawn to the two when I heard a slapping noise and my father yelping in pain.

"I can't help it, it's not easy to see where not to touch!" Father said defensively

"One, sorry the slap was a reflex, and two, just steer clear of the general area" Viper replied, making everyone laugh, including Tigress, "Thank you for healing me though"

Mom and I then stood up and walked over to Father. Mom wrapped him in a hug, then spoke when they broke apart.

"Cheating on me with Viper again I see" She said

"Never" Father replied then I looked away as they moved in to kiss

"Gross!" I exclaimed, once again earning the laughter of everyone

"Star, what do you say we get to today's training, hmm?" Monkey asked, putting a hand on my shoulder

"Sure" I replied, and together we walked up to the Jade Palace to begin my second day of training.

 **So, what'd you guys think? Nice, long chapter, fairly eventful. Kind of a small glimpse into the past? Like, right before Fisk proposed to Niki? Anyone? Anyone remember this and catch this at all? Huh, forget it. Lol, anyways, hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to review so I know people have read it!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Hey guys, I'm back! Just a warning, this chapter will most likely be very detailed and longer. It is a tear jerker, and when you see the bold word "NOW" I recommend you begin playing the song "This Broken Soul" to really set the mood. Also, this is the chapter which really sets the third and final leg of this story in motion. So please have the song ready and if you'd like to avoid any tear jerkers and/or disappointments you may find in the sadness of it, please see the bold print at the end of the chapter for the summary of what happens in the chapter. Otherwise, enjoy the kick-off chapter!**

Chapter 4

A few months passed since the attack of Hai Lang. The Phantom Stone was taken and hidden where nobody but the Masters Counsel could ever locate it, and hasn't been spoken of since. My training continued, and according to Monkey I had my father's knack for fighting. In his words, I was a Kung Fu prodigy. Though I didn't think so, because I still was dust in comparison with The Five, Po, Sky, Father, Shifu, and anyone else I knew who studied Kung Fu. I told this to Monkey and he told me not to worry.

"You're still a beginner, but the potential it there. That's my point" He said

I still was unsure, but carried on with training. I could now last a full thirty seconds going through the training hall, but never made it past the first station. I mainly practiced on the training dummy which Po said was harder than it looked, but I found it never recoiled on me like it did on him. Today was just the same. I was practicing a sequence of movements and attacks while under the supervision of Monkey, who corrected me after every go. I had just finished another round of the sequence and he had another thing to say.

"You nearly have it perfect, but you need to loosen up your stature. You must always be prepared for an erratic and unexpected change in pattern to keep the enemy off balance" He said

"Yes Master" I agreed respectfully, then repeated the process

"There you go! You're progressing nicely, Star. That's enough for today" He said

"But Master, I don't think I'm ready. A little more?" I asked, not feeling I had it down

"Star, you can't train all day every day. Training helps, but you must balance your life. Too much training means not enough relaxation and you can't focus. Too much relaxation and not enough training means you don't have the mindset nor the skills to win the battle. You must have balance. Now go have some fun" He explained

"Yes Master" I complied, then bowed before leaving

I decided I'd go into town and see if anything was going on. I hadn't seen the Ladies of the Shade perform in quite a while, so maybe I'd see them, or just get to see Fung and his bandits fail again at robbing. But to my disappointment, there was nothing going on. No performance, no seen robberies, nothing. It was exceedingly boring. I did see Dou Dai in the market, but he was simply buying groceries. With nothing fun in town, I decided to go back up to the palace and see if I could find something there to do.

The training hall was empty, everyone done for the day. I checked the kitchen but only found Po there, and I didn't want to stay for what he was going to do. He told me that if I did stay I could witness him finally cooking rice in his stomach, but I didn't care to see his new method. I decided to check the barracks, but only found a napping Mantis and Crane, who frankly I don't find to be the best hang-out person. He told me that Viper and Tigress went to get Messages in town. I sighed in exasperation before deciding to just go home and relax in bed. After completing another track down the stairs of the Jade Palace, I was breathing somewhat heavily. After resting a minute, I prepared to walk home but something caught my attention.

"Shh! Come on, we're late already, pick up the pace!" I heard a young voice say

I looked and saw a young goat and a seemingly younger bunny running toward an alley. What could they be late for? It seemed to be quite secret since they were trying to be so quiet about it. I thought it best to leave it alone, but in my boredom my curiosity got the best of me and I followed them into the alley. It wasn't a long way in before they knocked on a door and whispered some words to someone inside. Right as I reached them, the door opened and I was involuntarily rushed inside with them, the door man, or I should say kid, thought I was with them.

Once inside, I was shocked at what I saw. Many young people, the oldest at maybe fifteen, were standing around in a circle as two of them were fighting in the center. Wanting to keep a low profile, I kept to the back of the room. I was still confused on what was going on in this dark room, so I found the goat I followed in and approached him.

"Hey, this is my first time here. What exactly is this place?" I asked, trying my best to sound like I was there on purpose

"It's a Kung Fu Fight Club, but it's a secret one, so don't tell anybody!" He yelled back over the cheering crowd as the match ended

Just as I was about to say thanks, the crowd went silent and a snow leopard walked into the center and began to speak in a young female voice.

"That was a grate fight, much improvement on your form you two. I wanna thank you all for being here once again, I know it's hard to get here since it is a secret club. I also see a lot of new faces here, including one I never thought I'd see hear but is easy to recognize. How many of you know who I'm talking about?" she asked, looking around

I also looked around, wondering who she could be talking about and if anyone else knew about this person. Nobody raised their hand or gave any other indication that they knew.

"Nobody else recognized her? Huh, you all need to memorize the important people in Kung Fu. So Miss Star, why don't you come on over here" She said, looking directly at me

What?! How does she know me, and better yet how did she recognize me and why am I of importance in all this. I hesitated, doubting she actually meant me. To clarify, I pointed to myself and mouthed the question: Me?

"Yes, you; come on over here, don't be shy" She encouraged, though it didn't help

I cautiously walked over to where I was next to her and she directed me where to stand.

"So does anyone recognize Star?" She asked the crowd; this time a few people raised their hands

"You in the back" she said

"I recognize her from town. She's Master Fisk's daughter!" A young ram yelled out, earning gasps and whispers amongst the crowd

"Yes, and Keoni, you recognize her?" She asked, looking at the same little bunny I snuck in behind

"Yeah, I heard she trains up at the Jade Palace with Master Monkey" She said, her voice very small

"Yes, guys against all odds we've got a Jade Palace trainee at our club today. So Star, how did you find out about the club?" She asked

"Well…I didn't. I saw a couple of kids sneaking in and I got curious so I snuck in behind them. I didn't go in on purpose, I was just gonna peak in, but the door guy kinda ushered me in with the other two I came in with" I said quickly, not wanting to talk for too long

"Well, now we know we need to be a bit more discrete when coming here. But either way, it's an honor to have someone of such family lineage in our club. Let's give her a round of applause!" She finished and began clapping

I was blushing underneath my fur. I hated when all eyes were on me, good or bad. It was a few minutes before the applause died down and all eyes were left on me in silence.

"Now, I think it's only fitting that since she is here, she gets to fight!" She yelled out to the crowd, earning cheers and making me begin to panic

"Oh, no-no-no, I've only just begun my training a few months ago, I can't fight yet-"

"Nonsense! Everyone can fight, and there is no dishonor in losing. We're all here to learn, not to win" She silenced me, "Now who wants to be Stars opponent?"

Many people began shouting out they wanted to. Some were jumping up and down and waving their arms in the air. The Snow Leopard who had dragged me out pointed to someone in the front row and tried to shout that person's name out loud, but it was inaudible over the crowd. But apparently the person understood and walked out. It was a small goat, about my height, wearing a yellow tunic and a smile on its face. When it stepped into the center, everyone silenced.

"To fight Star, I've selected Huan Lee. He's about the same amount new to Kung Fu as Star is, so it should be a bit of an equal fight. Prepare the gong!" the leopard yelled, then stepped out of the circle

I didn't quite understand what was to happen, but the goat entered a stance of some sort and glared at me menacingly. My heart was racing. The only other fight I'd ever been in was with that Ox guy in the Sin Sou Forest, and that was more of a massacre. My heart pounding, I entered the only stance I knew and prepared. An instant later a gong was sounded and Huan Lee charged. He ran at me at a slower speed than I was used to following at the Jade Palace. When I watched them spar it was nearly impossible to keep track of them. This boy was much slower. Still I panicked and dropped my stance. When he was close enough he began a slow assault, throwing punches and kicks where he thought were good spots. In fear I back-stepped, which aided in dodging his attacks, but not for long. A moment later a spin kick sent me to the ground a few feet left of where I was standing.

"Get it together, Star. He's no master, you can do this!" I whispered to myself before standing up and returning to my stance

He charged again, but this time instead of back stepping I held my ground and blocked his barrage of attacks. It still wasn't easy, however. Eventually I found an opening in his defense and attacked. I only managed to jab him before he stepped back to assess the situation. It didn't take him long to continue attacking and once again knock me down. While on the ground I began to think about what to do.

"He's faster than me, and definitely stronger. Now what?" I thought

" _You must always be prepared for an erratic and unexpected change in pattern to keep the enemy off balance"_ Monkey's words went through in my head

"That's it!" I exclaimed, confusing some people

With some confidence, I stood up again, and Huan Lee charged yet again. This time though, instead of blocking or dodging, I countered. He tried to throw a punch at my stomach, but I knocked his punch aside with my left hand and jabbed him hard in the chest with my right, knocking him backwards. He quickly came back at me, and this time I dodged. I ducked underneath his punch and went behind him, followed by a side kick to his back, making him stumble forward. Without another second going by I went on the attack. I decided to use the sequence of moves I was practicing today to finish the fight. I waited for him to turn around before I leaped at him, doing a kick on his chest before landing and doing a butterfly strike in the same place, knocking him onto his back.

At this the crowd's cheers for him were silenced. He looked at me with surprise in his eyes. I felt great pride at this, for I knew I had successfully changed my patterns just right and used the Monkey Style in a real fight. With a smile, Huan Lee stood and bowed respectfully, submitting victory to me. I bowed back to return the respect and except victory, earning an applause from the crowd. I went home that night full of pride and with a smile on my face. I walked inside just in time to see Mother cooking dinner and Father setting the table.

"Hey baby. Where have you been?" Father asked with a smile

"I was just walking around looking for something to do" I lied

"Find anything interesting?" Mother asked

"Umm…no, nothing to say out of the ordinary boring town" I lied again, internally punching myself

"Alright. Take a seat, dumplings are almost ready" Mother said

I sighed and sat down in my usual spot at the table. Now might be a good time to mention that we didn't have actual chairs. My father liked to be somewhat exotic, so he brought a low set table and four sitting pillows from Japan when he went before he and Mother got married. We sit on our heels on top of the pillows; a style which isn't easy to get used to. Within a few minutes, steaming bowls of dumplings were placed in front of each of us. We ate in silence as usual, at least until all food was virtually gone.

"So, winter is nearly here Star. We'll be going into town tomorrow to get you some warmer clothes" Mother said

"Why can't I wear last winter's clothes?" I asked

"Because you keep growing" She replied with a smile

Without any further questions I said goodnight to everyone and made my way to my bedroom. After putting on my night clothes, I laid down in bed and slowly drifted off into sleep, forgetting completely about the small lies I told my parents. I woke up to the feeling of falling, and upon opening my eyes and screaming was met with the wood floor.

"Get up sleepy head, we're leaving soon" I heard my mother say before she walked out

After rubbing the ache from my body from the fall, I got up and grabbed my day clothes before walking out of my room and into the bathing area. I always thought it was cool how when Sky built this house, he built it with the bathing area looking like the sacred dragon pool in the jade palace. After closing the door and locking it, I let the pool fill with warm water. While it filled I stripped of all my clothes and set them aside to be cleaned later while I made sure my pants and vest were available to grab. After everything was placed correctly, I stepped into the warm water and let soak into my fur. The water soothed my aching muscles which still hurt from the prior days training. I lightly moved my paws through my fur, scrubbing out all the grime, sweat and dirt which show easily through my snow white fur. After I was done washing my entire body I stepped out of the bath and pulled the drain. While the water was draining I took the time to shake the water free of my fur, leaving it very fluffy. After brushing it out I put my clothes on and made my way out to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Morning Dad" I said as I walked in

"Dad? Niki, since when did she start saying Dad? She used to always say Father" He said and put on a fake look of disappointment

"I don't know hon, I guess our little girl is hitting the faze where she starts changing" Mom said with a grin, making Dad's fur literally stand on end

"Oh no. that means she'll be getting rebellious…" Dad said

"And stubborn" Mom added

"And she'll be getting into boys" Dad said, making me nearly gag at the thought

"Just think, soon enough she'll even start growing little boo-"

"Mom!" I yelled, covering my chest which already had clothing on it

This earned laughter from them both as I walked over and sat at the table, blushing through my white fur. I ate my breakfast in silence as they chattered amongst themselves. I couldn't get the thought out of my mind that I might actually be changing. Before I knew it, it was time to leave. I hugged Dad goodbye and took Mom's hand as we left, walking the few blocks to the market area. Today must have been special because the place was crawling with people eager to buy. Mom pulled me through the crowd of people and dragged me to the area for clothes.

As soon as we entered we were flaunted by offers of fine clothing for a good price. Mom kept showing me different outfits with vibrant and erratic colors. None of them appealed to me. I was focusing mainly on the training and fighting capabilities of the clothes, and all the pretty outfits with bright colors didn't fit the bill. Mom was beginning to get frustrated with me and I couldn't blame her. 15 outfits went by and 15 were waved off. We were about to leave when something caught the corner of my eye, and seeing it made me feel like a better fighter, let alone wearing it.

I quickly broke free from my mother and went to the booth which held the outfit. Upon closer inspection, I found it to be a full black suit. It had a long sleeve shirt which folded across the front like a vest, and the pants were tight yet seemingly flexible and had a standard black silk waist wrap to hold it up. It also had black Kung Fu shoes which had special wrappings to go around the ankles and hold tight to the pants, and black gloves. On a separate shelf was a black mask as well, which only left a slot for the eyes to be seen.

"Mom, it's perfect!" I exclaimed, louder than I anticipated just as she arrived at my side

"I don't know baby, it seems really…dark" Mom said, looking at it

"It'll be great for my training, and the black will keep me hidden. Please?" I begged

"The girls got a point. That get up there is meant for training and stealth" I heard a deep voice from behind the counter, startling me

I turned in the direction the voice came from and see a hog, not exactly handsome, walk around and take the entire outfit off the rack, including the mask, placing them on the counter in front of me.

"Wang, nice to see you've recovered" Mom said, crossing her arms

"Hardly. I rarely get a sale anymore without people wanting to fight me for a better price" The hog said with a sneer

"Well, I'm feeling generous and since my daughter really likes this outfit, so I won't call my husband here if you give me a good price" Mom said with a smirk

"40 Yuan for the outfit, the mask is separate for 10. A total of 50 Yuan for it all, take the price or leave" The hog said matter-of-factly

"Good boy" Mom said as she tossed the money on the counter

I squealed with glee and grabbed the entire outfit, jittering with excitement. I couldn't help but notice Wang grin at this.

"Use it well, kid" He said as we left

The walk home seemed to take days, when in reality it was only minutes. I didn't even say hi to Dad as I burst through the door and ran to my room to change. I immediately stripped down to only my undergarments and began dressing in the new outfit. The shirt and pants were simple, the shoes however were difficult to figure out since there was a special way to tie them to my ankles over the pants, but I figured it out. I then put on the gloves and grabbed the mask without putting it on. The entire outfit was tight to my body, but breathed amazingly and was amazingly flexible. Feeling proud of the outfit, I quickly walked out to the front room to show off.

"How do I look?" I asked

Mom and Dad stood there inspecting me. In truth I looked fierce. The entire outfit hid most my body, the only fur showing being my tail sticking out the back and my head. Except when the mask is on; then only my tail and eyes are visible.

"I will admit, you look like a more intimidating warrior in that" Dad said, "Put on the mask"

I did as he said and he put on a confused look while scanning around the entire room.

"Oh my, where has our daughter gone? She's just vanished!" He said, still searching the room

I couldn't help but laugh and run up and hug them both tightly, thanking them profusely. They simultaneously hugged me tight to them, and at that moment I felt quite close to them. I was really happy, but that turned quickly to confusion as I looked out our window and saw Sky, holding his dual spear in hand slowly walking past. His orange and black striped fur standing on end, I became worried. Sky wasn't scared of anything.

"Dad…" I said in a worried tone, making him slowly put me down and get on his knees to look in my eyes

"What is it?" He asked, but I kept my eyes glued to the window, where Sky had stopped right in view but was looking intently into the distance outside the view of the window

Dad turned around to look where my eyes were glued and he slowly but surely took the golden bow strapped to his back in his hands and walked outside. Mom followed him, and seeking protection I followed, not sure what exactly was going on. Upon stepping outside, I noticed a fog rolling into to town. Where I was standing there was none, but a thick wall of it was making its way in our direction. Dad took a spot standing beside Sky, and as if on cue of them standing together, the wall of fog stopped moving completely, seeming to freeze in place. I wearily grabbed Mom's hand.

"Mom?" I asked an unspoken question

"I don't know, sweaty" She said, her eyes not leaving Dad, "Hun, what's going on?"

"I don't know" He replied

For an instant we all felt the ground slightly shake, and in the instant the wall of fog retreated, uncovering what seemed like three large all black figures. Dad and Sky immediately took combat stances as Mom turned and lifted me into her arms, stepping back a few more paces before stopping. The three figures were almost all identical. The two standing on the sides looked exactly alike, both holding some kind of mace. They looked like Rams, in a way. They had horns sprouting from the top of their heads and their bodies were rippling with muscle. The one standing in the center was shorter than the other two. It seemed to take the same black and muscled build, but it looked more like a dog of some kind, with two swords strapped to its back.

My entire body shook with fear as the one on the left began to speak, his voice course and seemingly dead, "Xing! Submit now and give us your energy, or die and give it anyways"

"Not gonna happen, Phantom!" Dad yelled back

"Poor choice. You know not who you're up against. My comrade and I are warriors in a class all our own and this one here," He points to the smaller one, "Is an old foe of yours"

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" Dad asked mockingly

"Fisk, don't aggravate them, we don't know if they're bluffing" Sky whispered to him

"You don't remember what you did to me? I was a champion all my own, until you showed up. I lost everything to you, and what's more, you took my daughter away from me!" The middle one yelled

"Ricardo" Dad said, a look of surprise on his face

"Now you know me. We were even when I shot that girl dead…what was her name…Beth? Well, then you just had to go and not only kill me, but take away my daughter!" He yelled, making Mom take another step back with me still in her arms

I quickly grew scared, my breathing warming the front of the mask still on my face. I didn't understand what was happening, but I knew it couldn't be good if it had both Sky and Dad ready to fight.

"Fisk, don't let him get in your head! Get ready to fight" Sky commanded as he got into a stance

Dad did as he was told and got into a stance of his own. The one in the middle who had been talking to Dad flashed a dark smile before saying the words which I somehow knew were so truly possible: "Kill them." With that the two things on the sides charged at Dad and Sky, and they charged back. When they met the force of their clash was explosive, but my attention was quickly moved to the middle one who took out his seemingly black swords and charged around and at us. Mom quickly turned to run with me still holding tight to her, but just before we could flee from the scene, something hit the ground in front of us, causing the building to crumble.

 **NOW**

Mom slid to a stop and turned to run the other direction, but was stopped by the dog nearly taking off our heads. She ducked and rolled, getting to her feet quickly and running through the fight with me still in her arms. The fight going on between Dad, Sky, and those other things was impossible to describe. All I could see were bursts of light and dark as my Dad and Sky kept screaming out random words, and bursts of different colored light would be the result. As Mom ran through with me, the other one was still in pursuit, slowed by the conflict.

Mom ran for an alley, quickly turning and running into it but to both our dread, we found it to be a dead end. She tried running back but the exit was blocked by the one chasing us. Mom quickly put me down and ushered me behind her, getting into a defensive position. While looking around for some kind of escape, I could see the warriors of the Jade Palace running around and getting the civilians away from the fight. My attention was drawn back to the creature trapping us as he walked closer, scraping his swords on the stone walls which held us captive.

"He took my daughter. I will take his" He said coldly, his eyes locking on me

Mom was trembling. She took a few steps toward him before trying to throw in some attacks, but seemingly without even trying he dodged, a grin full of malice on his face. But what he did next was something my mind couldn't comprehend. Ducking under another punch, he brought the tip of his sword to Mom's chest and right before my eyes, ran her through. I watched him push up into her and saw the black blade come out of her back as she screamed in agony. Just as fast as he ran her through he pulled out and mom fell to the ground, the whole way down screaming and crying. Just as his cold eyes met me I heard a voice which allowed me to breathe once more.

"NO!" Dad screamed as he landed on the ground between the creature and mom, the force of his landing knocking me on my back and crumbling the walls around us

In an instant he had pushed the creature out into the streets to continue the fight. I stood up and, still unsure of what had happened, walked over to where Mom was laying. Her screams of pain had stopped and the only motion she made was a weak breathing. As the reality of what had happened set in on me, tears began to form in my eyes.

"Star…y-you have to…get away from here…" She said weakly

Ignoring her I kneeled to the ground next to her and began to cry.

"Star…please" She said

"N-no Mom…I'm not leaving without you. You…you have to come with me. You have to be alright" I said, sobbing in between words

"G-go…Star…Go…" Her breathing then became shallower

I was unaware that the conflict around me had ended. I felt myself pulled away from her by Sky, though I fought to stay at her side. Sky picked me up and turned me away from her as I sobbed into his shoulder.

"Niki! Niki talk to me, come on. NIKI!" I heard Dad yelling, but I heard no reply from Mom

After a few moments of me quietly crying while listening, I heard Dad begin to sob, and the reason why was clear to me as my sobbing intensified. Another few moments passed and I heard a sigh escape Sky's lips before he silently spoke.

"It must be done…goodbye Biyu…" Was all he said before he set me down and walked over to where Dad was cradling Mom

"Step back" Sky commanded firmly and he began doing different motions with his body, which began glowing orange

Confused but somewhat hopeful, Dad stepped away from Mom and came over to me. I watched as Sky's body alternated glowing orange, then blue, then back to orange. This continued for a few moments before his entire turned a bright glowing white. I almost could look, but it looked like his body was separating into two. One was a shorter feminine figure, while the other was the same height but male. The female one was orange, and the male was blue. I watched as the orange glowing figure seemed to have its glow leave her and float over to Mom.

The orange light seemed to meld into Moms body while the once glowing body fell to the ground, unmoving. It was a leopard, orange fur with black spots and wearing orange Kung Fu clothes. Daggers were clipped to the back of her belt. I then watched at the male figure stopped glowing and fell to his knees, breathing hard. He was a White Tiger, wearing a blue vest and black Kung Fu pants. He had a staff decorated in strange symbols tied to his back. Suddenly, I heard Mom gasp and begin coughing.

Simultaneously, Dad and I ran to her, hugging her tightly and crying tears of joy. I couldn't help but notice the White Tiger cradle the unmoving body of the Leopard, crying as he did. I then saw all the warriors of the Jade Palace rush towards us, all of them stopping and having their breath taken away at the sight. They all seemed speechless at what they were seeing, but soon enough Tigress ran over to the White Tiger and wrapped her arms around him, joining him in cradling the Leopard. Grandpa ran over to us along with Monkey and Po while the others ran to Tigress and those other two. I heard a lot of talk and yelling and people checking on each other, but the only words I really heard were the ones which escaped the White Tigers lips.

"We both knew the cost…Biyu sacrificed her life force to save Niki…"

 **So, to summarize what happened for those of you who wanted to skip the tearjerker, Phantoms attacked. One of them was a foe Fisk faced in America reborn as a Phantom, and that Phantom tried to kill Star. But instead Niki was killed trying to protect her. In order to preserve Niki's life, Sky separated from Biyu and what remained of Biyu was sacrificed to save Niki. So, I hope it was a good chapter, and this one really sets the motion for what is to come. Alright, tootles everyone!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Ok, so we ended the last chapter on a very sorrowful yet also joyous moment. We got to say goodbye to one of the original characters in the story, Biyu, whose name means Jasper, the precious stone. But she sacrificed herself to save Niki, wife of Fisk and mother to the main character of this leg of the story, Star. Writing that chapter made me cry, knowing that creating Biyu's spirit and her personality took a donation of part of myself. Biyu was a part of me, as are all of the Xing, Phantoms, and OC's I create. When a story ends and they still live, they live within me, and when they've died I know I've just lost a part of myself…I don't control what happens in these stories. I don't. I give these stories a beginning, something to go by, and I create characters we can all follow and love. Biyu lived a meaningful life, and we will all remember her…it was just her time. Goodbye Biyu, we will always remember you…**

Chapter 5

We all remained in this position for the longest time. Eventually we all had to move. Everyone from the Jade Palace helped the White Tiger carry the Leopard I now identified as Biyu's body up to the palace. I went with Mom and Dad back home. Mom wasn't sure was exactly had happened. None of us three really were. Everyone else seemed surprised but not confused, whereas us three didn't know what happened but at the time we didn't care. Dad and I only cared that Mom was alive and she only cared that the pain was gone. Dad sat Mom by the table and began looking over her body, making sure she was perfectly ok. I sat by her and held her hand, still crying tears of joy. I wanted to just be with her, to never leave her side, but all too soon we were called up to the Jade Palace.

Everyone ran up and hugged Mom when we walked through the front gates. Everyone except that strange White Tiger. Dad looked at him blankly, a glare not returned. The tiger simply lowered his eyes. He wore a blue vest, similar to Tigress' except his had golden outlines and bamboo designs. He also had a strange staff tied to his back, and he had no grown out hair. After a few minutes of quiet chatter, dad walked over to the tiger and sternly spoke.

"I've waited long enough. Tell me what happened to Sky" he said

Before any response was given, Tigress stormed over and got in his face.

"You will wait until you're in your grave if that's what he sees fit. You will not address him that way-" She said but was then promptly shoved away

"I will address him however I see fit until he tells me what happened to my fath…m-my Master" Dad stuttered. He seemed to have been saying something before he said his Master but I wasn't sure

I was surprised to see Po walk over and shove Dad back farther than he had shoved Tigress. "You will show some respect to him! And you will touch Tigress ever again or you will answer to me! No father will save you from that!" Po yelled

Silence filled the palace. Po's outburst surprised us all, and left a blush on Tigress' face. It only lasted a moment before Dad used one arm to knock Po across the courtyard. He then grabbed the tiger by the hem of his vest and pushed him against a wall. No words were spoken. Many people rushed to get Dad off of the tiger, while I stood back in fear. Everyone who tried pulling Dad off of the tiger was knocked off by one flying backhand. Eventually I watched Mom run over and grab on to him but she met the same fate as everyone else. Upon seeing Mom knocked to the ground, I saw Grandpa come flying in out of nowhere and kick Dad to the ground. I saw him stand and charge at Grandpa but before any more blows were dealt there was an interruption.

"Enough!" was all any of us heard before a blast of blue light sent everyone, including me, to the ground. The tiger then went and stood over my father, who lay paralyzed on the ground. "You were told the story of the second war, and what it took for Hēi'àn to be defeated. Your arrogance blinds you; so much so that you would strike down those you hold most dear for answers you already have. You have so little respect for the life that was given for your love to live that you do not deserve to be with the life that was saved! My name is Sky, and Biyu gave her life for Niki's. Think about that before you look into the eyes of your family!" He yelled, before flying off into a location unknown to any of us.

I lay there on the ground dumbfounded as to what just happened. I looked over at dad and he was looking at everyone else, all of them looking at him like some kind of monster. Before I knew it he stood and ran off, out the gates and out of sight. Mom tried to chase after him but was stopped by Tigress.

"He needs some time alone. Let him go" She said

"But-" Mom spoke, but was interrupted

"And let him stay away for as long as he needs and longer" I heard from Po, angering me

"Watch your mouth, Panda! He's saved all of our lives more times than even Master Oogway could count! Show some respect, we all have our moments!" I shouted as I stood

This grabbed everyone's attention. Mom looked at me with surprise and Tigress was absolutely stunned.

"Alright alright, cool it everyone. We need to relax a bit" Viper said

"Hey Po, remind me never to hit Tigress. Wouldn't want to make you mad" Monkey said, giggling along with Mantis

This made Po blush and walk off to the training hall, seeming quite embarrassed. Tigress walked over and hit Monkey before chasing after him. By the end of the day the negative atmosphere had died down, but Dad still hadn't returned. Mom went to bed early and I could hear her crying as I finished my dinner and cleaned the dishes. I went to bed and, quite quickly, drifted off to sleep. Several days past and Father still did not return. I continued my training with Monkey, and the calm and happy atmosphere returned to the Jade Palace. Though every day I missed my father, and every day I pushed myself harder at the thought of Mom dying to protect me.

"Star, I know you want to become stronger but you need to slow down" Monkey would say.

"No! I won't let anyone put themselves in danger for me anymore" Would be my response before pushing even harder.

More days of endless training came and went. On my days off I would go to the fight club and train even more there. I refused to take a break. After a few weeks I had stopped being trained by Monkey and switched to training WITH Monkey. Mother was worried for me, and the rest of the Palace was amazed and stunned at my progress. I was even more dedicated to my training than Tigress, a fact which she disliked to say the least. One day Master Shifu got all of us together to Spar, and the winner would fight against the White Tiger who I now easily called Sky. We all lined up and two by two were called up to spar.

"First will be Monkey against Viper" Shifu stated

They both took their places on the sparing ground and got into their respective stances. When Shifu snapped his fingers they began. Monkey was immediately on the defensive as Viper lashed out with her tail. Before Monkey had any time to counter he was entangled in her vice and thrown against the wall. The impact was painful to hear, let alone feel. Shifu declared the over and called up Mantis and Tigress to face each other.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Mantis exclaimed, not exactly excited over his partner

Right as they took their stances, Shifu snapped his fingers to begin the match. Needless to say Tigress easily won. After them it was Mom going against Grandpa, and Mom won but it was a close match. Then the most surprising thing happened.

"Since we don't have an even number of contestants, I will be the one who faces Po" Shifu said

Po nearly fell over at hearing this. Reluctantly, he took his place facing down Shifu. This time Sky snapped his fingers to say the match has begun. May I say, painful? That is the only word which can describe Po's loss of the match. Next up was me against Crane, and with my drive to improve higher than ever I readily took my place. Crane wasn't far behind in taking his after Po got out of the way, and we both took our stances.

I was ready for anything in my own mind, but what Crane did when Shifu snapped his finger proved me wrong. Catching me completely off guard, Crane took off and flew high into the air instead of directly attacking me. I had no idea what he was doing until he disappeared behind the clouds, which clued me in that he was trying to make me lose him, and it worked. I had no idea where he'd gone other than into the clouds, which didn't help me at all. I remained in my stance for a little over a minute before I was struck hard from behind. The impact knocked me onto my front, but I was quickly up again. Only too late, as I once again had no idea where he was.

After another few seconds, I was hit again, but this time I tucked and rolled back to me feet. Still too late, and much quicker was I knocked back to the ground. _I can't keep this up! I won't lose, I won't be a danger to everyone. I have to be able to protect myself!_ I got back to me feet and took my stance again, this time using my other senses to find where Crane was. No sooner than I focused did I feel a disturbance in the air flow behind me. On instinct, I reacted and leapt into a backflip. While in mid flip, I saw him coming up behind me, but once again I was caught off guard.

Where I was expecting to dodge, I ended up landing on Crane's back. Knowing that if I fell, I'd be put in a dangerous position, I held on for dear life. I guess crane thought I did this on purpose, because he began flying high. Up to the clouds and higher, where the air was thin and I couldn't see the palace. It was hear that he attempted to throw me off by doing a mid-air spiral, but I wouldn't be thrown so easily. I did lose my grip on his shoulders, but I was able to grab onto his feet and use them to swing back up and counter with a kick to the head.

This sent us both falling back down to the earth in a blow-for-blow battle. Even though I was keeping up with his technique, I knew I was at the disadvantage. I needed to defeat him before we reached the ground, or I would have to submit to survive. To my great joy, an opportunity arose, and I was able to brake his defense and kick him down into the clouds right as we passed them. I lost sight of him. I won! I was so happy, but my joy diminished quickly as I realized I had no time to enjoy my victory. I was still falling way to fast with no way to stop, and I wouldn't survive the impact.

As the palace came into view, I could hear everyone calling out my name. I won't lie; I was scared, but my fear was broken by a familiar bird's battle cry. _No! I can't believe this, after all my work I've still lost! It isn't fair…it isn't fair! Wait, no, I haven't lost yet. I'm still in this, and I won't let anyone worry about me anymore!_ In that moment of rage, my heart rate sped up, my breathing as well. With one mighty scream, I planted my feet on the ground and pushed off in the direction of Crane, who was flying in a beeline for me. In mid-air we impacted, but I seemed to have more force as I carried him backwards with me. I took him to the ground and we rolled to a stop together, me ending up on top off him. I made sure I had him pinned down good before raising my paw in a position to strike.

"Submit!" I commanded in the most menacing way possible

"I do, I do!" Crane said frantically

Overjoyed I got off of him and let him up. He quickly moved over to the rest of the group, who looked at me in astonishment. They kept glancing back and forth between me and a crater in the ground a few feet away. I widened my eyes as I realized where that crater came from.

"Wait, what?!"

 **So sorry for the wait! My internet went out for a few months, and in that time I had actually typed up a lot of chapters, but in a very unfortunate turn of events they were all lost to the digital sea. I had a back-up all the way to this point but I'm having to re-type everything so…yeah. Sorry again! Review please!**


	34. Chapter 34

**From now on I'll be doing the best I can in getting chapters done and posted. I've just started on a new story too, so if anyone wants to check that one out I'd love the feedback. Thanks!**

Chapter 6

I gawked at the crater in the ground where I was certain I had touched down. How could I have created a crater like that, let alone survive?! I did a once over on my body, then again a second time, but found myself to be perfectly healthy and unharmed. I was genuinely flabbergasted. I looked at everyone else for some guidance, something to help me figure out what happened, but they all simply stared open mouthed. After a few moments, we all simultaneously put our confused gaze on Sky, whose face was course with thought. Eventually he walked up to me and sat cross legged on the ground in front of me.

"Star, do you remember what we did on your birthday, when you first turned ten?" He asked

"Yeah, you checked me for…but wait, I couldn't be a-"

"I know what the results were before, but surviving that fall and coming off the ground with that much force was unprecedented, even for someone of my power. Your body took that full physical force and shrugged it off like it was nothing. Without flying, my own legs would be dust, and your father's would be badly broken. I'm going to check you again, just to make sure" He interrupted me

Confused, I simply nodded and repeated what I did last time. I began my steady breathing and cleared my mind. Once my eyes were closed, I felt his hand go over my forehead and in a moment later I felt the tingling feeling flow throughout my entire body. The process seemed a bit slower this time, but in a few seconds it was complete. When I opened my eyes I was hopeful, but he looked even more confused than before.

"It's so strange…you're physical body is stronger than any I've seen before, but not strong enough to do what it did. And I can't sense any Xing Energy within you…none of it makes any sense" He said

I fell backwards in exasperation. No answers, no power, and no idea what to do next.

"We keep training," Shifu interjected, seemingly reading my mind, "and hope that in time, the solution to our little puzzle presents itself"

Sighing, we all agreed and continued the matches. Long story short, Tigress won. My heart wasn't in my second match as it was still dwelling on what happened. Over the next few days I went through the motions, but couldn't stop thinking about it. _I survived the unsurvivable, yet I'm not a Xing. How?_ I couldn't pin it down…every time I thought I had something, the answer would easily elude me. I was doing basic maneuvers in the training hall on the fifth day, lost in thought when Zeng suddenly burst in.

"Master Shifu, word from Sky!" He said quickly

"What is it?" Shifu asked as we all gathered around

"It's Tamutai, he's marching on the palace! His forces are coming through the bamboo forest now, and he possesses a large number of warriors" Zeng finished

"Master, what's his play? He's never marched on us with such force before" Viper asked, looking to Shifu for answers

"I don't know…he could be looking to steal the relics of the palace, or could be planning for a full takeover. We must defend the valley" He replied, "Po, you and the Five go to the edge of the forest and hold them there. If they get past you, I'll be waiting in the village to take down what's left. Sky, you should be waiting on the stairs. If they somehow get past me, you'll be there to finish the job"

It didn't take but a moment for everyone to rush to their positions; all except for Sky, who stood there and waited for everyone to be gone.

"What do I do?" I asked, wanting to make use of myself

"Shifu said they may be after the relics, and if they are they could prove dangerous. The artifacts in this palace have great power. You will stay here and guard them. If anyone makes it past me, then you get to be the one who takes them down. You're a palace warrior now" He said, smiling down at me

Filled with joy, I nodded and ran to the hall of heroes to make sure nobody could get in. A little over-prepared, I dawned my mask and stood at the very center of the room facing the door. I took my own fighting stance and watched intently for any movement whatsoever. For the first few minutes I never broke my posture. After the first fifteen, I sat on the ground and waited. After 20, I laid down and scratched at the ground to entertain myself.

I was exceedingly bored, and disappointed when I heard heavy steps coming towards the hall. I assumed it was Po, seeing as he's the only one heavy enough to make those footsteps. I stood and began walking to the door.

"Po, that you?"

The footsteps fell silent. Confused, I went to exit the hall. The moment I was in the doorway, a powerful limb came flying from around the corner and made direct contact with my torso. The force sent me flying through the air, and the last thing I remembered was hitting a column before blacking out.

It must have been an hour had gone by the time I woke up. My body ached from the blow, but my main focus came to finding the culprit. I prayed to the gods that he hadn't already made off with an artifact. I rushed to my feet and checked my surroundings, but found everything left where it belonged, and no sign of any intruder. That is, until I hear the sound of falling items in the helmet room.

"Great, just what I needed!" I exclaimed to myself and rushed to the door

Repeating my earlier mistake, I failed to ensure that it was safe before trying to proceed. Almost on que of me reaching the door, it was blasted to splinters in an explosion of golden lightning and thunder. I was sent flying into a backflip across the room, but managed to gain control before impacting anything. I stuck the landing and took my fighting stance as soon as I was able.

When the smoke cleared, the culprit was revealed: a huge oxe towering over me. He was at least twice my height, and his bulk made him quite the imposing threat. I noticed he was wearing a strange helmet on his head, and his right foot had an aura of lightning around it. He was laughing triumphantly and hadn't even noticed I was there.

"At last, the Helmet of the Thunder Kick is mine!" He bellowed

"Tamutai, give that back!" I screamed foolishly, making my presence known

This caused him to be silent as he scanned the room for the voice until he found me.

"What? Still haven't kicked the dirt, child?" He asked, somewhat amused

"I think you'll find I'm quite resilient" I replied, smirking under my mask and trying to make myself seem more intimidating, to no avail

"I must say I'm impressed," he smirked, "But this only stands to make you my first victim to die beneath my new power!"

He finished his statement with a powerful stomp with his right foot, shaking the building and creating a thunderous clap. My entire body clenched up in fear. My heart rate sped, and my breathing became fast and irregular.

"No smug remark? Better, for you'll longer without one," He said and began pacing the room, slowly getting closer to me, "I heard about your mother. Nearly died trying to protect you. And you hope to defeat me now? You're a danger to everyone here, and you failed the simplest of tasks they gave you"

"No! I'm strong, and I haven't failed yet!" I yelled in denial, though I felt like I was lying to myself

"Really?!" He asked as he reached me, catching me off guard with a quick backhand which knocked me across the room

After that attack, he didn't slow his onslaught. I was forced to run through the hall of heroes with this huge monster of a man hot on my trail. I ducked and rolled, avoiding every attack by a hair. I felt like I was doing well until he rushed past me and brought his thunderous stomp down on the ground in front of me. The force of the magically infused attack sent me flying onto my back, dazing me and dulling my sense momentarily.

"You're weak, flawed, and no use to the world. Your only purpose is to get those around you hurt. Now die!" He yelled, and I watched his foot move over my body as time seemed to slow

 _It's true…Peng nearly died protecting me from the ox in the forest. Because of me he was in that position, and again with my mother. If I'd stayed inside, she wouldn't have been hurt…I'm a danger to everyone…I'm a failure. When everyone is counting on me…they're counting on me now, I can't fail them here! I won't!_

Just as he brought his foot down, I reached up with my arms and caught it before it crushed me. Though his weight wasn't my only problem. The energy from the helmet sent waves of electricity coursing through my body. The pain was excruciating, and it took every ounce of strength from me to hold his foot a=in place.

"I won't fail!" I screamed and with one last push I threw him from me and onto his back in the middle of the room

"It's not possible!" He bellowed as he stood

Still feeling the pain of the electricity flowing through me, I stood. My heart rate and breathing were fast and heavy.

"I won't lose to a child!" He said and charged

With a long battle cry, I met his speed and charged at him as well. His first attack was to aim a kick at my head, but instinctively I dropped to my knees and slid beneath it, and as I passed I grabbed onto his ankle and used it to swing up and kick the back of his head, knocking the helmet from him and causing him to fall to the ground. Dazed, he shook the fuzz clear from his mind and looked quite worried when he realized the helmet was laying on the ground a few feet in front of him.

He instantly started crawling to it, but I didn't let him reach it. I grabbed onto his feet and, with strength I didn't know existed within me, tossed him into the air towards the front door. Mimicking the move my father used to defeat Hai Lang, I did a quick 360 degree spin to gain momentum before putting all my strength into a butterfly strike. As soon as I made contact, an explosion of bronze lightning erupted from my palms and sent Tamutai flying out the front door and seemingly all of the way out of the palace.

It took me a moment to recover from my exertions, and even longer to register what I had just done. I felt proud of my victory, but at the same time I only won because I attacked out of complete rage. And the lightning? I didn't know, but I assumed it must have been the leftover charge from the helmet. With my pride and shame battling for dominance, I felt conflicted. But my thoughts changed to finding Shifu and telling him what they were after when I heard the rest of the Jade Palace Warriors calling out my name from the front gate.

I removed my mask and rushed to grab the helmet. Once I had it, I ran to find everyone. I wanted to tell them of my victory, and I needed to give Shifu the intended information. The first person I ran into-or rather onto, on my search was Mantis. After accidentally stepping on him, I let him hop onto my shoulder to go and find everyone else.

"So what happened here?" He asked as I ran

"I'll tell you when I tell everyone else. First I need to find Shifu" I replied

"Does that include knowing about the cut on your face?"

I put myself in full stop, skidding a few feet before actually stopping.

"What?!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my paws over my face, finding blood coming from a spot on my right cheek, "Oh my god, that's so gross! Please go find me something to clean it off with!" I begged, and chuckling he bounded off to the palace infirmary.

With him gone, I continued my search, and I eventually found everyone. Viper and Mom wouldn't let me move an inch until they were sure I was in peak health condition. Po was especially eager to hear the story behind my wound, and Shifu was overjoyed to hear that Tamutai didn't get what he was after. Eventually we all gathered in the main courtyard.

"So Tamutai snuck past us and, even wielding the helmet, he was beaten by you?" Sky asked, seeming doubtful

 _Well, I used my anger to gain strength and beat him._ "He underestimated me and I managed to get the helmet off of his head and used it to beat him," I lied

"Good use of strategy. You really were listening to my lessons" Monkey praised

"Yeah…I guess. Umm, Sky?" I said

"Yes?" He replied

"Do you mind healing this cut?" I requested

"Not at all, though it is deep and I won't be able to prevent it from scarring" He replied

"That's fine, I think it'll make a great first battle scar!" I said excitedly as he cupped his hand over my cheek and began to heal me

"Cool" I heard Po mutter to himself

I smirked at his remark. I looked at Tigress and saw approval, and in my Mother's eyes I saw nothing but pride. I felt good about myself, despite my lie of how I came about my victory. Maybe now I can finally rest easy knowing nobody needs to protect me anymore.

 **Another one done. Seriously though, my new story is a Spyro fanfic and I could use new viewers on it. Check it out, and leave a review!**


	35. Chapter 35

**I'm back! Hope I'm making up for my long absence…even though so far nobody has left anymore reviews. I am truly sorry for being gone so long, but things in my life got…complicated. Financial struggles, family struggles, friendship struggles, pretty much just struggling with life. Writing this story is what is helping me cope, and it is pretty hard to come back and re-write ten chapters which were lost because I was an idiot. I'm sorry, again, for the wait, but I'm back now and I hope that those of you who have been waiting can come back and continue to enjoy the story. So, read on, and review!**

Chapter 7

The next day I was due to intensify my training regimen. I was meant to continue my training with the five, but I was expected to do everything they did. I knew it would be a struggle, seeing as I could only last about thirty seconds going through the training hall, and everyone else could go all day easily. I woke early, before the sun rose, and quickly got ready and went up to the palace. The track up the stairs went by quickly, but when I arrived the gate was closed. It had never been closed when I arrived before, so I had no idea how to get in, except maybe…

I thought back to my spar with Crane, and my battle with Tamutai. Both times I used some power within me to boost my strength. I thought that I might be able to use that power at will, and maybe jump over the gate. Focusing, I took a few steps back and kneeled down to the ground. I began a meditative breathing and focused my mind on how I felt both times I released that energy. Almost immediately, my body felt tingly, and in that moment I pushed myself off the ground. I leapt higher than I thought I could and managed to land on top of the gate.

"Unreal," I whispered to myself

In my amazement and I forgot where exactly I was and tried walking forward. I soon realized my predicament as I feel forward off of the gate and after doing a quick flip, I landed painfully on my back.

"Owe," I bluntly stated to myself

"Owe indeed," I heard the voice of Shifu say

I looked up just in time to see him shift his glance between me and the top of the front gate.

"How did you get up there?" He asked

"Uh…you see, the gate was closed, and I decided to come here early, so I just…climbed," I lied

I knew I could easily tell him the truth, but that would reveal my lie of how I defeated Tamutai, which I wasn't willing to let happen.

"Well, the morning gong hadn't been sounded yet. You've just done the same thing Sky did many years ago. So, would you like to join me to greet the five and Po?" He asked

"Umm, yeah. I'd be honored," I replied

Shifu smiled and motioned for me to walk beside him. We walked in silence to the barracks, making our way to and up the stairs leading to the small building. We waited at the entrance for a few minutes, until the sun began to shine in and a few moments later, the gong was sounded. In unison, all of the Jade Palace Warriors emerged from their rooms and uttered the customary greeting.

"Good morning Master"

Surprisingly, even Po was up and ready to train. When all greetings were said and done, we all walked down to the kitchen. I was thankful that Shifu had a bigger table moved in, because the palace was becoming too crowded for the six-seater table which previously called the kitchen its home. Po made his dad's famous Secret Ingredient Soup for breakfast. While eating, Shifu briefed us on the day's training.

"Over the years, you have all become great warriors. Powerful, subtle, and usually unbeatable, but seeing as an enemy force can easily slip by us with a precise plan, we must work on our own precision. I've come up with a new exercise to aid in our training," He explained, "You will be given a cup of tea, and you will start at the beginning of the training hall. You will all have to work together to deliver the tea to me at the other side of the hall. If the tea is spilt, gets to cold, or if any of you are struck by one of the challenges in the hall, you lose. You must all hold the tea at least once before giving it to me"

Needless to say we were all dumbfounded. Delivering tea? How much precision could we learn from not spilling tea as we quickly deliver it through a few hundred feet of obstacles?

"Master, I do not doubt your wisdom, as Master Oogway did not, but how much could we gain from carrying tea to you?" Tigress asked, speaking all of our minds

"I think you'll find soon enough that this task is harder than you think," He replied, "now if you'll deliver your bowls to the wash basin, we can get started"

We all were no further consoled by his words. But, knowing he wouldn't have us do something of the sort unless he knew we could benefit, we did as instructed and followed him to the training hall. When we arrived, he had one of the palace staff deliver a hot pot of tea and a few cups. The same staff member, a goose, poured one cup and handed it to Tigress while Shifu started of the training hall and took his place in the back, sitting in a meditative position on top of his staff. We all prepared ourselves for his signal.

"Remember, each of you must hold the cup at least once before I receive it. If it is spilled, changes temperature, or any of you are struck by an obstacle at any point, you fail and must restart. When you perfect this, I will add another obstacle, and when you perfect that, I will add another. Ready…" He prepared us

We all stood in a line. Tigress, having the tea, stood in the center. Po, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis stood to her right while Viper, Grandpa, and I stood to her left. We all took our stances.

"Begin!"

In unison we charged into the hall. Monkey and I leapt into the rings hanging from the rafters, swinging from them and ready to receive the Tea. Almost immediately we realized the difficulty of this task as in the moment Tigress tossed Grandpa the Tea, it spilled.

"Stop!"

We all froze in position at Shifu's word.

"Not even two seconds in and the Tea has been spilled? If this is as far as we can get, then we are in far worse condition than I thought. Back to start!"

We did as instructed, each of us cursing ourselves. Our cup was exchanged for a fresh one, this time being given to Monkey. We took our positions and this time I knew it would most likely come to me first. I knew that I would need to be close so he could hand it to me, not throw it.

"Begin!"

We all repeated what we had done before. Monkey and I leaped to the rings, and within the first second he was moving to hand it to me. I got in position and grabbed it from him, hanging from a ring by my free hand. I looked around and saw that Tigress was the only one open to hand it to so I swung my way to her. She was in the area with the wooden Medicine balls, something I should have remembered when I entered because I was immediately knocked painfully aside by one of them.

"Stop!"

Everyone froze again.

"Be aware of every enemy, every threat around you. Communicate, call for someone to help you when you need it," Shifu advised

We all seemed to sigh in unison and took our positions again. I looked at everyone else and they all seemed more exasperated then tired. All except Grandpa, who looked like he was already out of breath, which wasn't normal; I took a note of this in my mind before returning to my position. Po was given the tea this time, to his disappointment.

"Begin!"

We repeated our actions again. This time, Po didn't pass the Tea to anyone until he couldn't hold on to it anymore. He was in the area of the wooden warriors and was having trouble keeping the cup in one piece, so he called out for Crane, who flew over and grabbed it from him. He did a quick turn-around back through the hall and passed it off to monkey, who held on to it while swinging. He was getting ready to move and pass it to someone else when, to everyone dread, it slipped from his hand-foot and began to fall. Almost in slow motion, I watched it fall. Not willing to accept defeat, I hooked my foot around a ring and swung upside-down to catch it, successfully grabbing the cup along with every drop of tea. My success was short lived as I realized I wouldn't be able to grab onto another ring before falling.

"Mantis!" I called out

On que, a little green blur went by, grabbing the cup on the way just in time for me to find myself dancing beside Tigress while avoiding medicine balls. Mantis quickly delivered the cup to Viper, who danced through the flames spewed from the ground. She slithered through that and back to the Jade Tortoise Shell, where Grandpa was waiting.

"Collin, heads up!" She called out

He took it from her and worked his way back through the wooden warriors towards Tigress. We were so close, nearly to victory when he suddenly stopped. His eyes went wide as he stared out at nothing, and he opened his mouth wide, gasping in huge gulps of air as if he wasn't getting any at all. A moment later, he dropped the cup and fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Grandpa!" "Collin!"

We all rushed to his side as Shifu shut everything down. His breathing was shallow, and his heartbeat seemed almost non-existent. As soon as Shifu arrived, he made us all back up so he could have a look, but moments later his face was grim.

"Sky!" He called out, his voice seeming panicked

Almost immediately, Sky burst through the front door and rushed to Grandpa's aid.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked, my voice faltering

"It's his heart, but I don't know what," He said and picked Grandpa up bridal style, "I'm taking him to the infirmary"

With that, they were gone. Rushed out of the building and out of sight. I felt myself panicking, and my vision was blurred by tears. I felt scared and helpless. This didn't go unnoticed by everyone else as Viper rushed to my side.

"He's gonna be fine, Sky will heal him right up," She said, though I could feel it in her that she really wasn't sure

I felt helpless, and not knowing what exactly was wrong with him made it much worse.

"Don't lie to me, and don't lie to yourself," I replied

If there was one thing I wanted right then, it was for my Dad to be here. He would know what to do. And my mom…oh my god, she doesn't even know.

"Mom…" I whispered to myself

I knew exactly what I needed to do right then. I broke away from Viper and bolted out the door. I headed through the palace and to the front gate, still closed, and without even thinking I jumped over it. I landed on the other side and continue my sprint. I went down the stairs, taking leaps of five, ten, or even fifteen stairs at a time until I reached the bottom.

"Mom!" I called out repeatedly, hoping she could hear me as I made a beeline for home. I was about fifty yards away when she ran out the front door to meet me, and without any words I fell into her arms crying. She held me, but seemed more confused than anything.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She asked, pulling my face up to look at her

"Mom, i-it's Grandpa. He's hurt, or sick, or something. He fell down and wouldn't wake up…Mom, I'm scared!" I exclaimed and buried my face back into her chest

She was silent for a while, contemplating what to do based on what I told her. After a few minutes, she picked me up and jogged in the opposite direction of the palace, farther into the village. For a few minutes she just jogged, and I didn't know where we were going until we arrived at somewhere we hadn't been in a long time: Aunt Lucy's house. Mom took me to the front door and knocked before putting me on the ground. It was only a moment later when a smaller bunny opened the door; my younger cousin Ling.

"Ling, hi honey," Mom greeted, trying to seem cheerful in front of the little boy, "is your mom home?"

Without a word from him, he turned around and walked deeper into their house. From inside I could hear a little bit of chatter before a larger bunny, Aunt Lucy, came to the door.

"Hi, Niki!" She greeted and hugged Mom, "What brings you he-"

"Lucy, I know its last minute but I need you to watch Star for a little while. Something is wrong with my dad and I need to go see what," Mom explained, interrupting Aunt Lucy

"Oh, alright, you go. It's no trouble," she replied

Without a reply, Mom sprinted off towards the palace, leaving me worried, scared, and helpless. I had a bad feeling that this situation would not end well for anyone.

"Come on sweety, I'll make some tea"

 **Here goes another re-written chapter. Yeesh, this is harder than I though. Remembering every detail is kinda difficult, but I hope I'm doing OK. Please review, and have a nice day/night!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Still no new readers. I dearly hope I haven't lost them all…oh well, onward to the next chapter!**

Chapter 8

Aunt Lucy took my inside and sat me in a chair in her kitchen. Their dining room was very different from ours. The table was circular instead of rectangular like ours, and their actual kitchen was smaller. I took note of this, small as the note was, as my mind was still trapped in wondering is my Grandpa would really be ok. I wanted to be there with him so bad…I couldn't stop focusing on that one room in the palace where I knew he would be. I could almost feel each individual life force…it was strange. I could tell Grandpa's was fading, and I dearly hoped I was wrong.

"Here, sweety. Jasmine tea, fresh from the pot," Aunt Lucy said, breaking me from my trance

"Thank you," I said, wanting to be polite but not feeling up to actually drinking it

I took the cup and, sparingly, took a few small sips. After a few moments of just holding the cup, I put it down on the table. I wasn't looking at her, but I could feel her worried gaze on me.

"Your Grandfather will be fine," she reassured me, to little success

I didn't respond. I turned my focus back to the palace, trying to repeat what I had done before, finding it easier the second time around. Only, this time was different. Each individual aura was less bright, as if they had grown sad, and one out of them all was barely even there at all. I felt tears begin to run down my face, knowing that one very weak aura was my Grandpa's, and that his time was drawing near.

Aunt Lucy saw the tears falling and rushed to my side, embracing me in a comforting hug, which did little to comfort as I continued to watch. Grandpa grew fainter and fainter, until the moment I dreaded arrived, and it disappeared altogether. _No, I have to be wrong, he isn't gone! I won't believe it!_ I shouted in my own head, which did little to stop my increasing flow of tears as I sobbed into Aunt Lucy's shoulder.

"Oh, Fisk, where are you? We need you here more than ever now," I heard her whisper to herself

I continued to sob, many minutes passing with no news or change, and I had long since drawn my focus away from that room. I didn't want to see anymore. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stop crying anyways, and was ready to break free of Aunt Lucy and run to the palace just to prove myself wrong, but it was at that moment that there was a knock at the door. Aunt Lucy let go of me and went to answer it. When she opened the door, I heard her exchange some words with a male voice before coming back inside.

"Star, that was a messenger from the Jade Palace…" She said, drawing out her words until pausing

"My grandpa…is he…?" I asked an incomplete question, hopeful that he may yet have survived

"He has…has passed to the next life,"

Hearing her response made my heart sink well below my chest. A new onslaught of tears erupted as I fell from my chair onto the floor, feeling an inner pain I'd only felt once before, the day I watched my mother die. I'm sure that all of the neighbors around us could hear me crying, as my sobs were quite audible. I hugged my arms around my torso, hoping it would dull the pain.

Aunt Lucy could do nothing to console me; I had to cry. After about fifteen minutes, I had slowed down enough to be comforted by her. She held me for another ten before I decided I wanted to go home. She wanted to walk me, but I wouldn't have it. I walked home alone, watching nothing but the ground. It took only a few minutes to arrive, just in time for the sun to begin falling from the sky. I didn't care, though. I went inside and went straight to lay down in my bed. I fell asleep there, still sad but out of tears to cry.

I woke a while later to the sound of my door opening. I noticed that it was dark out now, and standing in the doorway was my mom. Thinking I was still asleep, she walked over and crawled in bed with me, wrapping her arms around me. We stayed that way for a while before we both fell asleep in that position.

I woke again, this time before her. I got out of bed and walked out to the kitchen and simply sat at the table. I sat in silence, not knowing what to do or think, or feel. I didn't even want to go train today, but I figured that would be understood. Not long after I sat down was I joined by my mother. We didn't speak; only shared a knowing glance sat in silence, enjoying the company of a family member. This was the normal morning routine for the next week and a half, before I finally returned to training in the palace, but I was cut from the tea activity for reasons they wouldn't tell me.

I was welcomed back, but forced to train on my own, which didn't sit well with me, but I didn't argue. Sometimes, Sky would keep me company and supervise my training, which made it easier on me and got me better results, but I didn't understand what was going on with everyone. I assumed they wanted me to train separately until my grief had passed and my emotional state was stable. One day I spent entirely on meditating, trying to control my emotions and look more into the strange things I was able to do.

That day, however, was interrupted, by Shifu gathering everyone in the main courtyard. He said it was urgent, so I assumed there was a mission involved. When we all gathered, he got in front of us and briefed us on what was happening.

"I have come across something which may be very important," He said as he laid a map out on the ground, "In this area, I am certain there is a camp, where criminals have been allied and planning something. All of the recent crimes being made in the village have come out of the Bamboo forest, and no spies I send through ever find any trace of them on the other side. All my spies return except the ones I sent into this area, so I want all of the you to go and investigate,"

Needless to say I was excited. _Yes, my first mission!_

 **Shorter chapter, I hope it didn't disappoint. Goodbye Collin**


	37. Chapter 37

**Well, I'm back. I'll be honest, in the last chapter, my writing flare was down big time. This story means a lot to me, and it kinda bums me out that since I've gotten internet back and posted a bunch, nobody has continued reading. I guess they all gave up the wait, and gave up the story, but I'll still finish the story, no matter what. Well, read and review for those who are, and for those who aren't, I'm truly sorry for the wait.**

Chapter 9

We spent only a few days in preparation. There was some debate on letting me go, but eventually it was ruled that I would do just fine. I was very excited that morning, feeling like I could walk on water. I quickly got washed and dressed early in the morning, and was in the kitchen by the time Mom had finished making dumplings for breakfast. I ate fast before grabbing my mask and meeting her at the front door.

"Are you nervous?" She asked

"A little," I replied, earning a half-smile

"Now, remember that no matter what, you come home safely, alright?" She said, and I could hear her voice faltering as she pulled me into a hug

"I will, Mom. I'm ready for this," I stated, hugging her back before we broke apart

"I am so proud of you," She said

"I know," I replied

Without further words, we hugged again and I was off. I was instructed to wait at the base of the stairs for the others to arrive, so that's where I stood. I wasn't there for a few minutes before they began filing down. None of them ever stopped; they simply kept running straight for the Bamboo Forest. Once I realized this, I dawned my mask and dropped to and all fours sprint hot on their trail. I slowed myself a little once I caught up, but I still had to keep in that position to keep up. Needless to say my ego was boosted as random villagers cheered us on, even though they had no idea what battle we were headed for.

We reached the forest in about fifteen minutes, but we didn't stop at the forest line. There was a trail leading into the forest which we followed for another while. It wasn't long before Tigress slowed us down. Not much longer after that she stopped us completely. When we stopped, we grouped together and were briefed on the strategy.

"Alright, so here is what we are going to do: Mantis, Viper, you two blend in so you will be scouting ahead. You are to come back and tell us what you find every five minutes. Po and I will stay on the ground and be the origin point. We keep an eye out around us and make sure we can regroup if it is needed. Monkey, Crane, and Star will be our eyes from above. Crane, you fly over the canopy and make sure there are no dangers from above. Monkey, you and star will be in the trees. You call out anything you see or hear. Any questions?" Tigress asked. Silence.

"Alright, let's move," commanded Po

With that, everyone rushed to their positions. I followed monkey into the trees, jumping quietly from tree to tree. I watched as Viper and Mantis disappeared in the distance, hidden in the colors of the forest. Monkey and I stayed relatively close to Po and Tigress, wanting to make sure we could call out any threats as they slowly and cautiously made their way forward. It was fairly easy to tell time as Mantis and/or Viper would return to report that they had seen nothing out of the ordinary.

After a while, it grew somewhat boring, but every time I showed it, Monkey would remind me to stay alert. Little did I know that things were due to get much more interesting. We were still moving through the forest when it came time for Viper and Mantis to report, but they never showed. Tigress instructed us to stop and wait for them to come back, but after a few minutes it became clear that something wasn't right.

"Monkey, ask Crane if he's seen anything," Po whispered

"Alright," Monkey whispered in reply, "Crane, we haven't heard back from Mantis or Viper, have you seen anything?"

We waited for a reply, but none came. I was growing exceedingly worried, but held my composure for the sake of the mission.

"Tigress, Po, I can't find Crane," Monkey called down

Silence. I looked down to find that they too were gone, with no sign of them ever being there in the first place.

"Star, stay here. I'm going to see if I can find them," He said before jumping from the tree to the ground

My heart pounded as I watched him search the ground, and I made sure to watch his surroundings for any threat.

"Star, there are other footprints here, not just Po and Tigress," He stated, running his hands along the ground

It was then that I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked, and saw two figures silently approaching Monkey, each draped in the same tan full body uniform. The uniform had a symbol on the right shoulder which looked like some kind of head, completely black. I didn't take the time to think about it.

"Monkey, ten o'clock!" I called out, warning him of the approaching danger just before it reached him

He quickly turned, just in time to catch a fist and use it to swing one of his opponents into the other. He let out a sigh as he looked at the two unconscious persons who lay piled on each other on the ground.

"Nice call Star," He said, before looking up at me

I was confused when he looked at me, however, because his look was not of gratitude or pride, but of terror. His eyes showed nothing but fear, and I couldn't understand why he was looking at me that way, until I realized he wasn't looking at me. His gaze fell to whatever was behind me, which in turn filled me with fear. I turned around and saw that the trees behind me were filled with more people dressed in the same uniform, countless enemies all staring down at me.

"Monkey!" I called out in fear, hoping for assistance in getting out of this predicament

Silence. It was clear to me that Monkey was gone, and I was left alone. A moment later, each and every one of the uniformed assailants charged. I quickly turned tail and fled, hopping from tree to tree as fast as I could to escape these people, but it was clear I wasn't faster than all of them. As I prepared to make another leap, I felt a hand wrap around my ankle, causing me to yelp. I looked down to find that one of them had caught up and grabbed me, so in reaction I brought my other foot down on his face, causing him to fall and me to be free, but it was too late.

By the time I had broken free, the others had gained too much ground. I knew if I didn't drop to the ground, I would be history, so I did. I let go of the trees and fell to the ground before continuing my run, but I overestimated my speed. Before long I was forced to stop and fight. The first few opponents were easy, but when I was swarmed, I found myself helpless. It wasn't two seconds later when I was hit in the head, hard, and fell completely unconscious.

When I woke, my head was throbbing in pain. I ignored this however, upon hearing the third and fourth most comforting voices I could: Viper and Tigress.

"She's awake," Tigress said

"Star?! Star, are you alright?" Viper asked urgently

"I'm fine," I replied and tried to rub my eyes but found I couldn't bring my hands from behind my back

I looked to find that my hands were tied behind my back, and my legs were tied together at the ankle. I nearly screamed when I realized what I was wearing: nothing better than a few rags. I noticed that both me and Tigress were wearing a single strip of cloth wrapped around our chests and a similar rag wrapped around our upper thighs and hips. These clothes had the obvious purpose of covering just enough to be decent but still being very revealing.

"Where are we?" I asked

"We don't know," Viper replied

I looked around and found that we were all in a tent, which held nothing but us and sacks of flour. The tent had one entrance, which also seemed to serve as the only exit. It was closed, so I couldn't see out of it. Seeing that it was easily within reach, I struggled against the ropes, but found them to be extremely strong.

"I wouldn't bother with those. I designed those ropes to be as strong as steel," I heard a familiar hogs voice from outside the tent, just before he entered

"Dou Dai," Tigress stated

"The one and only!" He shouted, giving a bow, "I'm so glad you wondered into this-"

"PIG! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE IN THE ARMORY!" A huge voice bellowed from outside

A moment later, a wolf walked in the tent and glared at him. Dou Dai seemed to shrink down in fear before running from the tent.

"I apologize. His skill in the workshop is useful to us, but his incompetence can be irritating," The wolf said in a deep voice

"Who are you?!" Tigress asked in her menacing voice

"Oh, how rude of me. I am the commander of this camp, Wan-Lu," He replied

"What do you want with us?" Viper asked, calmly but powerfully

"With you? Nothing. I want you to do something for me" He said

We all looked at him questioningly, wondering what he wanted us to do and wondering why he would think we would do anything for him in the first place. He then began chuckling to himself.

"I want you to die!" He exclaimed, and continued his maniacal laughter for a few more seconds, "You see, as prisoners of our camp, your only purpose is to entertain our soldiers. Starting this afternoon, you will be required to fight for your life once a day. We will put you all in a fight against one or more opponents, and unless you win, you will be killed"

His words worried me. I knew against one or two enemies, I'd be fine, but how many could I really fight at once? I could tell the situation was bad, all the way around. No way, could we do it forever.

"Prepare yourselves, for this battle will be your last," He finished, before exiting the tent

I was now more than worried; I was scared.

"Tigress, what do we do?" I asked

She was silent for at least fifteen seconds before answering.

"We fight, and fight hard"

 **Dun dun duuuuuuuun! I'm finally getting close to being back where I was before I accidentally deleted all those chapters I wrote. Yay! Holy moly, I lost a lot! Well, for those who read, please review! See you next time!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Next chapter, here it is. I can't believe I'm just a chapter or two from being back to where I was. I spent a good week of doing nothing but waking up, eating, writing, and going to sleep, producing many long and detailed chapters only to hit one wrong button and find it all gone. Oh well, it's nearly over and soon I'll be writing all new chapters! So as always, read, and please do leave a review.**

Chapter 10

About an hour later, three cheetahs walked into the tent and untied our legs, and at knife point we were forced to walk out of the tent and were led through the camp. To my astonishment, the camp was huge. It seemed we were led to the center, where barriers had been set up to shape one huge square. We were forced inside, and each put in a section of what I guessed was their arena. They never untied our hands, which only did well to worry me even more. Viper was the only one with any kind of free movement, but it was obvious that if she attempted escape, none of us would fare well.

Warriors were standing all around the barriers, each holding some kind of weapon, and at the side of the arena opposite to us, Wan-Lu sat in his own seeming bamboo throne, elevated higher than anyone else. Around him, many people stood, animals of all kinds, all screaming and cheering for their "entertainment" soon to come.

"Silence!" He yelled, and in an instant, the entire crowd fell silent, "My brothers, my sisters, we have a very special treat for you today!"

A few more seconds of cheers ensued as he stood from his chair, walking to the very edge of his platform.

"It seems that the master of the Jade Palace has sent his lackies here to find us, and find us they did. Are you ready to see them wish they didn't?" More cheers, "Are you ready to see them suffer, and beg for mercy?" The cheers grew louder, "Are you ready, to be entertained?!" My ears were deafened by the roar from the crowd, "And you, Jade Palace warriors, are you ready to die?"

I grew scared at that moment, and as soon as he asked the question, three leopards broke through the crowd and entered the arena with us. Without any word that the fight had begun, they attacked. Tigress and Viper both were ready, but I was too used to fighting in sparring matches. I was kicked in the stomach and knocked backwards onto the ground, painfully. Changing my mindset, I stood and took the best stance I could manage without my arms, but it looked more like I was doing squats, to my own dismay.

This didn't go unnoticed by my opponent as he began to chuckle and laugh at me. After a moment of this, he took his own stance and charged me, but this time I was ready. He tried to do a flying side kick at me, but I fell backwards and thrusted both of my legs upwards just in time to make contacts with his back. Using his own momentum, I threw him behind me before rolling to my feet and returning to my stance.

When I looked, I found that he was still on the ground, and didn't appear to be moving at all. Before I knew what happened, someone rushed up behind me with a knife and forced me out of the arena, back through the camp, and back into the tent. I was thrown to the ground and my legs were re-tied. I noticed that both Tigress and Viper were already here and tied up again, leading me to deduce that they won their bouts long before I did. Once I was tied up, the cheetah left the tent and left us to ourselves again.

"Star, are you alright?" Viper asked

"I'm fine, they just ruffled my fur," I said, trying to keep us upbeat and cheery

"Did you see the guys at all?" Tigress asked

"No…I didn't even think to look," I replied, "Did either of you notice what I did, when he was speaking to the crowd?"

"He seemed crazy, but other than that, no," Tigress replied

"No, when he addressed them. He called them brothers and sisters," I explained

"So, what does that mean?" Viper asked

"A cult," Tigress blurted

"Exactly! There's something more than a group of crim-" I was silenced by the sound of someone entering the tent

When I looked, I saw that a fairly large built jaguar had entered, and was eyeing all of us hungrily. I didn't like the way he looked at us, nor the fact that he set his sights on Tigress. With a smug grin across his face, he approached her where she lay, tied up on the ground. When he was close enough, he leaned down and brought his hand up to her face, using it to stroke her cheek. In response, she growled at him, an action which would scare off anyone in their right mind. This guy was undeterred.

"Awe, don't be like that. You know, you can't keep up your victories in the arena for long. Why don't you enjoy the time you have left with a real jungle animal, like me?" He offered, having an attitude which sickened me

In response, Tigress spat in his face, literally. He reeled back and whipped the liquid from his face, looking quite pissed off. Tigress now had her own smug grin painted across her face.

"I'd sooner die," She said

In anger, he stormed back over to her and grappled her throat. With one arm, he lifted her off the ground, squeezing her wind pipe shut. Viper and I pleaded with him to release her, but we were unheard as Tigress thrashed around, trying to break free so she could breath.

"Nobody rejects me, and you don't understand, soon enough you won't have a choice," He growled, pulling her face close to his as he did

Without warning, he forced his lips onto hers, and for a good few seconds she was forced to kiss him. After those few seconds passed, he broke from her and tossed her to the ground. She was coughing and gasping for breath as she lay there, unable to do anything more.

"When I get free, I'll kill you myself!" I yelled

He simply snickered and approached me where I sat, still immobilized.

"Stay away from her!" Viper yelled, but was ignored

He simply leaned down close to me, to where I could see my reflection in his eyes.

"Such young and innocent beauty," He said and grabbed onto my cheek, "If only you weren't so scarred,"

In response to his hand on my face, I quickly bit his thumb, hard. He instantly jumped back, shaking his hand around as if it would dull the pain. After looking at his hand, he sneered at me and backhanded my face, knocking me down from my sitting position. He barely missed my eye, but it still hurt quite a bit. Without any further words, he stormed out of the tent.

"Star, are you-" Viper began

"I'm fine, check on Tigress," I commanded, sitting back up and shaking the daze out of my head

"I'm fine, he didn't hurt me," Tigress stated, but when I looked, she was laying on the ground, facing the tent wall with her back to us

"Tigress, are you sure?" I asked

"I said I'm alright!" She yelled back, silencing us both

Viper and I shared a knowing and worried glance, but no more words were spoken until night time came. As the sun began to fall, we were each given a small ration of bread and water, just enough to keep us alive but not enough to be worth anything in our stomachs. When that person left, we got down to business.

"As much as I hate to admit it, that guy was right," Tigress said, confusing us

"What do you mean?" Viper asked

"We can't keep doing this. With minimal food and water, we won't have the strength the keep fighting. Tomorrow, when they send us into the arena, try and memorize the layout of the camp and see if you can spot any of the guys," She ordered

With that said, we worked out a plan. When we found the guys, Viper was to break free and cut our ropes. Together, we would fight and free the guys, before leaving the camp and returning home. I liked that part of the plan, and couldn't wait to commence. After finishing the briefing on the plan, we all settled down for the night and slept. For the next few days, we saw no signs of the guys, and with every passing day, our battles became harder. Soon enough, we each started having to face an opponent all our own, instead of facing a set of three of the same species, making the amount of struggle different for each of us. One day, things changed.

We were placed in the arena, same as always, but this time, our opponents were already there. And the opponents I saw worried me. In Tigress' section, not one, but two gorillas were waiting. In Viper's, three Ox were standing, smiling evilly as we walked by. And in my section, smack dab in the middle, a group of five leopards were waiting to make me suffer. I looked to Tigress for guidance, but she was too busy staring at the battle ahead of her, same as Viper.

"Are you ready to see these great warriors fight their last battle?" Wan-Lu asked, receiving a roar of cheers from the crowd

Once again without any word for the fight to begin, all of our opponents charged. I managed to jump of the first two, but a third attack struck me in the chest and knocked me backwards. I had no time to gather myself before I was kicked in the back, and sent stumbling forward, right towards another enemy. This one almost tornado-kicked me, but I tucked and rolled under the kick and managed to spin around and sweep his legs. He fell to the ground, but I was quickly under another onslaught of attacks.

I knew I was in trouble, and I couldn't help but get angrier and angrier with every hit I took. _All this training, all my work to make sure I wasn't worthless, and now I can't stand without being knocked back down! All that work, for what?! To be toyed with by a few second rate warriors?_ I couldn't help but be completely pissed. Eventually, one of them got behind me and held me by my upper arms, so no matter what I did I couldn't move. As he held me, the other three (I'd knocked one out already) all began whaling on me from the front.

While this happened, the world seemed to slow down around me. As I received a blow to the stomach, I looked to my left to see that Tigress was being used as something of a ball, being hit back and forth between the two gorillas as they laughed. I was force to look away as I was hit in the face, which forced me to look in the other direction, directly at Vipers section. What I saw was that she had taken down one of the ox's, but the other two were seemingly having a tug-of-war with her body.

 _No! They're killing them. I can't allow this to happen! Shifu wouldn't, none of the guys would…my father wouldn't. I won't let this happen!_ I felt my heart rate speed up, and I channeled my strength the same way I had when hopping the gate at the palace. In an instant, I felt my energy surge, just as another fist was hurling towards my stomach. First, I spun around, swinging the leopard who had ahold of me around, throwing him off of me and into the other three. Only one of them was able to stand back up, much to my pleasure, as I ran up to him and leapt into the air.

As I reached him, I wrapped my legs around his neck and flipped backwards, using my weight to flip him through the air and, using my own leg strength, I threw him across the arena and directly into the ox pulling on Vipers tail. Feeling the freedom, she jumped into action and took down the other ox. While she did this, I rushed into Tigress' section. I quickly jumped up and kicked one of them in the face, stunning him and making him stumble backwards. With nobody to catch her, Tigress fell to the ground, unconscious, and the two gorillas turned their attention on me.

No sooner than they did was Viper at my side, and together we attacked. Viper immediately tangle herself around one of them, and the other was left for me. He tried to slam his fist down on me, but I sidestepped and used his arm as a walkway up to his head.

As I ran up his arm, he seemed to realize he was in trouble, and with a scream I did a spin kick, which made devastating contact with the side of his face. All I saw was his head turn the other direction farther than it should have been able and there was an audible snap before he fell to the ground, lifeless.

"Impossible!" I heard Wan-Lu scream, as an uproar from the crowd voiced its displeasure

I looked to find that Viper had taken care of the other gorilla, but Tigress was still unconscious. As usual, we were forced back to our tent and tied back up, all of us in severe pain. Try as we might, we couldn't get Tigress to wake up. She was breathing, which relieved us, but we still couldn't deny facts.

"Viper, what do we do?" I asked, hoping she had some kind of a plan

She only looked at me, her eyes full of sadness, her hope drained, and then her eyes fell to the ground.

 **Wow…I forgot the emotion I felt when writing this part before. I'm pretty much gonna get right back to work, so after I post this one it should only be another night. I'll see you all again in a few hours!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Hello again! Just a warning, this chapter does go some dark places, and runs across some dark topics. Reader's discretion is advised.**

Chapter 11

When I saw Viper's eyes fall, I knew that in truth, we were not going to make it out of this. I wasn't going to get home, I wasn't going to see mom again. I would never be able to do my father's name honor. Knowing this, I laid down and turned my back to Viper and Tigress. After a few seconds, I began to silently cry. Every ounce of hope was gone. All I wanted was to be home. For my mother to hold me, and comfort me like she always did. For my father to sing me a lullaby while I drifted to a peaceful sleep.

 _Mom…I'm sorry. I made you a promise which I can't keep. Dad, I'm sorry I never lived up to you. I was never the daughter you both deserved, or the warrior you wanted me to be. You were always there for me, but whenever you needed me, I let you down. I'm so sorry._

We weren't given any food that night, not that any of us were going to be able to eat. I felt rested by the morning, but my hope was still gone. Tigress was able to talk, but was in too much pain to move. Viper was also in extreme amounts of pain, more so then me, but my entire front side was bruised and battered. I was surprised when the cheetahs came in early and escorted us to the arena. Tigress was dragged there, groaning in pain the entire way, and we were all put together instead of in our own sections. Wan-Lu was already standing on his platform, looking furious.

"I don't know how you managed to survive your last battle, but I promise you, that today, you will all die!" He screamed

It was then that three gorillas jumped into the arena, looking very serious about this fight. I looked back at Tigress, who was laying on the ground, unable to move. Viper was beside me, preparing to fight but we both knew it was hopeless. As the gorillas began walking toward us, I made a desperate me. I charged them, and attempted a flying kick, but my leg was grabbed and used as a handle to swing me around and slam me into the ground.

My head was spinning. I was too dazed to even try moving now, and I could only barely see. I was slipping in and out of consciousness, only getting glimpses of things. Eventually, it seemed the gorillas had decided they were done toying with is. Each one picked one of us up and took us to where we were right in front of Wan-Lu, and the entire crowd, seeming like something of a formal execution.

As the gorillas held each of us up, presenting us to the crowd, an uproar erupted, every single person in the crowd voicing their approval. As the gorillas prepared to finish the job, I prepared myself for it to finally be over. I closed my eyes, and held my breath.

"STOP!" I heard Wan-Lu scream, silencing the crowd, "Brothers, Sisters, I've just received word that our master, our leader, has sent one of his personal warriors here, to our camp! He will arrive by tonight, and I believe that the honor of finishing off these prisoners should be his!"

A roar from the crowd proved that everyone agreed. With that roar, I passed out completely. When I came to, it was dark out, and I could hear a light rain. My entire body ached, too much to even attempt moving, but I wasn't going to go back to sleep. I took note that I was back in my normal clothes. I guessed so that they didn't have to stain theirs with our blood.

"Viper, Tigress, are you here?" I whispered

"We're here," I heard Tigress force out

"Are you alright?" I heard Viper ask

"I'm in extreme pain, but I'm alive," I said, pain evident in my voice

We were all silenced by hearing voices outside. One of them was obviously the wolf in charge, but the other voice was deeper, and sent a shiver down my spine.

"Sir, we are all so honored that you are here, but I don't understand why the master himself would send you here, of all places," Wan-Lu said

"My job is to follow his orders, not ask question. He told me to keep an eye on the area, because he's been sensing too many spikes of Xing energy. If I find anything I am to report it," Was all I heard from the other voice before they were too far away

A few minutes later, three more voices appeared right outside the tent, one of which I identified as the jaguar who had a thing for tigress.

"I get the snake, she can unhinge her jaw," one voice said

"Like you could make use of that. You take the tiger," another replied

"I don't care who you two idiots take, but the tiger is mine," the familiar jaguar interjected, firmly, before three figures entered the tent

I knew that this couldn't be good. I could only see silhouettes in the dark, but it was clear which one was the jaguar. He immediately went over and grabbed onto Tigress, who began screaming for him to let her go, but she was dragged from the tent.

"No! Leave her alone!" I screamed, desperate to save her but unable to move

My voice was ignored. I continued pleading with them as another figure grabbed Viper and left with her screaming and struggling.

"Of course, I get the kid. Not even anything to enjoy," I heard a voice say before a heavy body dropped down onto me

 _To enjoy? TO ENJOY?! I am not something to be enjoyed!_

"Listen buddy, I am not something for your enjoyment," I said

He was silent for a few moments, as his hands started traveling all over my body, to places hands shouldn't go.

"Oh yeah, what are you?" He asked, not actually seeming serious

 _I am a person…Tigress and Viper need me._

"I am needed"

 _I am a fighter. I was trained beside China's best._

"I am a warrior"

 _I have the power to do anything. To live up to my father's name. And it's time I stop hiding it from myself._

"I am a Xing"

Upon hearing this, my abuser stopped what he was doing instantly. He looked up at me with fear. Somehow, this guy knew that word, and in that moment he looked ready to flee.

"And I am going to save them!"

I finally accepted it. My energy, my power, it wasn't chi. I am a Xing, no doubt. Once I accepted it, I felt my energy surge. In one swift motion, I broke my ropes and thrusted my palms into the chest of the figure looming over me. With a flash of that familiar bronze lightning, he was sent flying out of the tent, screaming the entire way out. I can only imagine the reaction of anyone who was outside, when they saw their counterpart come flying from the tent.

I didn't stop to think about it; Tigress and Viper both still needed me, and I had to go find the guys and make sure they were alright. I quickly jumped to my feet, surprised to feel that all pain had dissipated, and rushed out of the tent. I let my eyes skim over my surroundings in every direction, looking for wherever my friends had been dragged. I was desperate to find them before they were hurt, and I knew that fact was clouding my senses. Knowing this, I slowed my breathing and focused, looking for their auras or any sound to indicate their location.

"Let go of me! No!" I heard a distant but clear voice, to my left

Tigress! I quickly turned and ran in the direction of the voice, soon finding it growing louder and louder. I finally turned a corner around another tent to find Tigress being dragged farther away, and not much farther along, Viper was being carried.

"HERE!" I exclaimed, wanting them to know my location and see me

I was startled by my own voice. As it echoed through the camp, all other talk and noise seemed to fall silent. The two men holding my comrades froze and turned around to face me, looking startled, intimidated, but also amused.

"Did that idiot Riyu let you escape?" the jaguar laughed

I didn't reply. I simply began sprinting in their direction. I had to honor my word, even to this slime. He immediately dropped Tigress and met my charge, him making the first attack. He attempted to clothesline me as I passed, but it seemed in my rage I put a new meaning to lightning fast reflexes. As I saw his arm come up, I ducked and slid underneath it, ending up right behind him before he knew what happened. I smiled devilishly to myself as I placed my hands on his back, fully spread out. When he realized where I was, he looked over his shoulder in fear.

"Lightning…" I growled, as I began to focus

"Kid, hold on, we can work something ou-" He tried to plead

"STRIKE!" I screamed for the world to hear

From my palms, I expelled two large and thick bolts of bronze lightning, which passes through this tyrant's body, killing him where he stood. As his body fell to the ground, I rushed to Viper's aid, but found she had already been left on the ground as her captor fled. Seeing this, I ran to her and picked her up before carrying her over to Tigress. Neither one of them could speak; they simply stared in awe. Ignoring this, I focused my energy into my hands as if I'd done it a hundred times before and let it flow into them. After a few moments, I had finished healing them both.

"Star, you're a….a-a" Viper stuttered

"A Xing," I finished for her as I untied Tigress

"When did you…?" Tigress began

"My sparring match with Crane," I answered, "Both of you need to go see if you can't locate the guys,"

As soon as we all stood from the ground, we began hearing voices from all around. The people in the camp noticed what I had done to their counterpart, and all came to the same conclusion.

"She's a Xing!" "A Xing!" "Warn Wan-Lu!" We heard repeated from many different voices

"You two ready for another fight?" I asked

"Just try any keep up," Tigress replied, smugly, before charging into the gathering crowd

I could tell that morning was drawing near, but the storm still progressed. The remainder of the camp seemed to all charge at once, on que of a thunder clap seeming like it was directly over the camp. As they all charged, I reached out into my surroundings with my mind, searching for some Aura which resembled one of the guys. As soon as I got a slight blip, I made my move. I charged in the direction I felt it from and just before reaching the wall of enemies, I jumped. I did a full flip before landing on the shoulders of an ox, who then became the object of a tackle as everyone tried to reach me.

Before they could, I jumped again, this time far enough forward to clear the remainder of the crowd and land on the ground. After landing, I didn't waste time. I continued my sprint in the direction of the aura I sensed. Before long, I had arrived at a tent very similar to the one we were held in, and when I entered, I found all of the guys tied up the same way we were, save for Mantis, who was caged.

"Star?!" Monkey exclaimed

Without answering, I quickly freed them all and stood them up.

"Guys, Viper and Tigress are waging a major battle out there. They could use some help," I quickly said, and with only a nod of understanding, they ran from the tent

I wasn't far behind, but as soon as I was back outside, I was under attack. First, I caught a fist and countered it with a spin kick, then did a butterfly strike in the opposite direction, knocking one of my opponents into three others. This went on for a few minutes, and it felt great. I was so powerful, so unbeatable! I felt like I could do anything.

"Xing!" I heard a familiar wolf call out in anger

I turned and looked, and at the edge of the camp, which I was surprisingly close to.

"I should have known. It's no wonder my men were no match for you," He said, walking closer to me

"You should never have crossed me, Wan-Lu!" I yelled

"Oh really? Well, I'll just have to kill you to make sure I never regret it," He laughed

With that, he began running towards me. As soon as he reached me, he tried to bring his knee to my gut, but I blocked it. His fighting style was strange, unlike any Kung Fu I had ever seen. I found it hard to predict his moves, so fighting him proved more difficult than any standard opponent. Eventually, our fight travelled back to the edge of the camp, and with one palm strike, I knocked him backwards and onto the ground. Feeling victory was near, I elected to end the fight. I charged at him, and focused my energy into the tips of my fingers.

As I leaped into the air, aiming myself directly at him, I saw the fear in his eyes. I enjoyed the sight, and wanted it to be the last expression he ever made before he died, but just before I reached him, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. As I glanced over, I saw an orb of some kind of black energy flying at me, and I had no way to react. The orb impacted me with explosive force, knocking me far back. As I hit the ground, I was forced to role to a stop, dazed and confused.

As I shook my head and looked in the direction I had been knocked from, only to see a huge figure resembling a large ox walking up to me. It's skin was black, and its eyes were red, and it carried a large black mace. This thing was the spitting image of the same Phantoms my father and Sky fought the day my mother nearly died. Seeing it filled me with complete and utter terror as it loomed over me where I laid on the ground. As it stood there, he smiled, and his grin sent chills down my spine. When it spoke, its voice was cold and dark.

"How pitiful. The Xing my master was so worried about is a little girl," It said, raising its mace over its head, ready to flatten me

I was frozen with fear. I couldn't move and more than a visible and obvious tremble. As he began to bring the mace down, the rain suddenly stopped. I saw the sun begin to shin through on the horizon, and a voice let out a powerful battle cry from behind me before a flash of light knocked the phantom away from me. I couldn't believe my eyes, nor my ears. That couldn't have been the voice I thought it was…

Proving me wrong, a tall and strong figure walked past, wearing his black and gold Kung Fu clothes and holding his bow in hand. My dad, looking as powerful as ever, walked by and in the direction of the phantom he had just knocked on its ass. The beast stood from the ground and had a look of pure anger on its face. Calmly and collectively, my father took aim with his bow and pulled back the string. In response to this, the Phantom simply charged, oblivious to what was about to happen.

"Solar Flash!" Dad yelled, before releasing the string, and from the bow, a beam of energy was sent flying

The Phantom didn't stand a chance against the attack. It couldn't even dodge in time, and in an explosion of gold and black dust, it was destroyed.

"Nooooo!" Wan-Lu screamed, drawing my father's attention

"Wan-Lu, I can't believe you would side with these creatures," Dad said, pointing two fingers at him

"Fisk, you'll pay for this!" He replied angrily

"Keeyah!" Father exclaimed, and a small stream of light passed from his two fingers and through the chest of the wolf

A moment later, Wan-Lu fell dead to the ground. As I stared at all of this in awe, Dad turned around and looked at me…and smiled. Tears began to stream down my face as I stood and ran to him. I ran as fast as I could, because all I wanted was for him to hold me. As soon as I was close enough, I leaped into his arms. He didn't hesitate to catch me hold me close. While holding me, he sat on the ground and rocked me back and forth. All I could do was sob into his shoulder.

"Dad, they were going to do such horrible things to us!" I exclaimed, sobbing even harder at the thought

"It's ok, baby, I'm here now," He replied

"I know! All I wanted in the world was for you to be here, and you came back!" I said, pushing away and looking into his eyes

"Star, I never left you. I've always been in your heart. And look at what you've become! Baby, I am so proud of you," he said, stroking my cheek before pulling me in for another hug

We stayed like that for a while, him rocking me as I sobbed. _Finally…it's over. So many months of suffering…my mother nearly died, Sky lost his only love, father left, grandfather died, and we were brought to this horrible place but now it's finally over. I'm exactly where I should be, the only place I want to be. It's over, at last._

 **Ok, I'll post this after I finish crying. I'm not exactly sure how good of quality the writing in this chapter is but in all honesty I was really emotional for this one. Ok, please leave a review and I'll see you all next chapter!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Ok, I'm back. I took a break from this story to finish my standing most popular story, Vexx. That story is now complete, so I can come back and work on this one and get it finished. Well…when the new KFP movie comes out, I'll be able to finish it. Been waiting for stinking ever for the movie to come out so I can finish this story, and now, finally, the time is near. I'm talking to myself here…so uh…yeah, I guess I'll enjoy writing, and whoever actually reads this in a year or so, enjoy!**

Chapter 12

We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. I cried and sobbed until I had no tears left, so I sat there with him and let myself be comforted by his soothing presence. Our eternity wasn't long enough, as behind me, I heard a gasp.

"Hey guys," Dad said

I opened my eyes and turned to see everyone standing in a group, all staring at us with bewilderment. Po was hard to read. I couldn't tell if he was angry, happy, or indifferent. Together, we both stood and walked over to them, but they didn't move. There was only about a foot of distance between us, and for a few moments, nobody spoke. Father was the one to break the silence.

"I don't expect forgiveness, from any of you, because what I did was unforgiveable. That man, whoever he is, saved Niki's life, and in turn I spat in his face. He didn't deserve that, and more than that, none of you deserved it either. Tigress, I disrespected you more than most, and for that I am sorry. Po-" He was interrupted

"Oh, just shut up!" Po exclaimed, before rushing up and embracing him in a hug

Everyone else was soon to follow, encircling him with love and forgiveness. The sight of him being welcomed home so easily forced one more tear to fall from my eyes. The welcome lasted almost a minute before they all broke apart.

"I think it's high time we all go home," Father said, before walking up to me and picking me up bridal style in his arms, "Your mother is probably worried sick"

In silence, he led us on our march back into the thick of the forest. He didn't dare try to put me down, and I wouldn't have let him if he tried. I stayed in his arms, cuddled into his chest, for as long as I could manage, never wanting to be away from him again. It took about an hour to make it through and find the break in the forest where the trail split it in half. Dad stopped there and waited for a bit to make sure everyone was still with us. When everyone joined us on the path, we continued again. During the walk, I looked up at Dad's face. Every feature was so intimidating and strong, but at the same time, to me, they were so comforting. His green eyes, so concentrated on the journey through the forest, focused on the path ahead. Every once in a while, glancing to the forest on either side of us, watching for leftover enemies. None ever showed up. Eventually, we reached the edge of the forest, but we all stopped there, staring to the village ahead of us. We could see the people going about their business, not noticing us at all. Before we continued, Father put me on the ground and got on his knees to be at eye level with me. He looked very serious as he gazed into my eyes.

"Star, you know I've been gone a long time. I don't know how everyone down there is going to react to me coming back," He said

"They'll be as happy as I am," I replied, smiling, feeling sure of my answer

"I don't think anyone could be that happy," He argued, smirking

"Well, still," I said

"Still," he agreed, "I don't know how your mother will react, or how Sky will react. But no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you, and I will always be in your heart,"

I nodded and rushed in for a hug. I knew exactly what he meant by 'no matter what happens.' He didn't know if he would be welcome, but I had faith that he would. When we broke apart, everyone shared a knowing glance, before we continued our track back into town. Dad and I walked hand-in-hand, leading the walk. As we took our first few steps into the streets of the village, people immediately took notice. Some looked as if they had no clue why we were out of town in the first place, while others looked relieved and amazed to see us home. As we walked, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and freeze in place, watching us walk for no apparent reason. It was as if they could tell we just went through something terrible, regardless of knowing our mission. Whether it was too soon, or not soon enough, I couldn't tell you, but eventually, our house came into view, sitting right beside Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop which was busy, as always. Dad and I slowed as we approached, whereas everyone else continued. Po made a beeline for the shop, wanting to greet his dad first, while everyone else began the walk to and up the stairs to the palace. With everyone else gone, we stopped right in the middle of the road, outside our home. Inside, I could hear water splashing around, in the kitchen. Dishes were being washed, and two voices were in conversation.

"Don't tell me everything is alright, Lucy. Please…" Mom's voice sounded from the kitchen

"Niki, it's only been a few days, you don't know anything for sure," Aunt Lucy's voice replied

"A few days since Shifu said they were due to return. It was her first mission, she was supposed to come home the next day, not a week later-"

"Mom!" I called out, silencing her voice

A two gasps were audible, along with the sound of a clay cup breaking on the ground. A few moments later, the front door burst open, and from it, they both ran out. They both stopped right outside the door, on sight of dad. For a few moments, we all stood there, staring at each other, before Mom set her sights on me and her composure broke. She was only able to take a few steps before I met her more than half way, jumping up into her arms. She began sobbing in joy of my return. I could feel many pairs of eyes burning into us, all watching the show being put on. After a few moments, Dad walked up to us.

"Thank you…thank you," Mom said between sobs, and I knew who she was thanking and why

After another few moments, Mom put me down and calmed her sobs enough to speak to dad.

"Fisk…" She said, but was silenced

"Niki, I have no reason to expect forgiveness from you. My behavior before was unacceptable, and so was being gone for so long," He said. Before he could say anything else, Mom pulled him into a hug

"I don't care!" She exclaimed, "You're home, and more than that, you brought our little girl back safely"

Aunt Lucy quickly jumped up and joined into the hug.

"All that matters is that you're all back, and safe," She said

It took a few moments for them to finally break apart, and together, we all walked into the house. Mom made tea, and we all sat at the table, drinking in silence. I sat beside Mom on one side, while Dad sat beside Aunt Lucy on the other side, across from me. After we were all about halfway through our glasses when Mom finally broke the silence.

"So, where did you go?" She asked tentatively

"I went to Gongmen City, in search of my old Karate master, hoping he could give me some form of wisdom, but he wasn't in the city anymore. So I stayed with Wan Wu to clear my head. In truth, I was scared of coming home. I didn't think I would be welcome, after the way I treated everyone," He replied

"So, what brought you back?" Aunt Lucy asked

"Well…at first I didn't believe what I felt, but I sensed small bursts of energy, which felt too weak to be Xing, but they were very prominent. It wasn't Sky's energy, so I dismissed them, but early this morning, before the sun rose, I woke from my sleep feeling the same energy, much more powerful. It was Xing energy. That much I was sure of. I also sensed another energy coming from the same location. Phantom energy. I rushed to the location, and found myself in a camp in the bamboo forest," He replied

They were silent, as if trying to put the pieces together. After a minute, both of their eyes went wide at the same time, and questioningly, Mom pointed to me.

"Is she…?" Mom said

Dad nodded with a smile, and without a moments wait, Mom pulled me into a suffocating hug. She exclaimed her pride, and shook me back and forth in her arms.

"When I found her, she was almost single-handedly over running the entire camp. I watched her fight for most of it, but when the Phantom showed up, it was clear she still wasn't strong enough. I stepped in and finished the job," Dad said

"Ok, wait…what camp? And how did a Phantom get involved in this?" Mom asked

"All that will be explained when we get to the palace. I have to amend my mistakes, apologize to Sky, and Collin," Dad said

Hearing Grandfather's name caused us all to go silent. Dad looked confused, and it was clear why. He didn't know.

"Star, why don't you go wash up before we leave," Aunt Lucy said

Getting her meaning, I nodded and left the kitchen, heading straight for the washroom. Their conversation continued as soon as I closed the door.

"What's going on?" Dad asked

"Fisk…Collin became ill some time ago," Aunt Lucy replied

Silence. I began to fill the pool with lukewarm water.

"What?" Dad asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice

"Dads dead," Mom stated, the sadness evident in her voice

Silence again. After a minute, I heard Dad begin to cry. I stripped of my clothes and stepped into the bath, feeling the water soak into my fur.

"Oh my god…I'm so sorry, Niki. I should have been here…I should have been here with you, with Star, with everyone…I've let you down so much more than I thought," He said between sobs

I began to scrub the dirt and grime from my fur, turning it from the dirty brown back to its normal pure white.

"You couldn't have known, its ok. The important thing is, you're here now," Mom reassured him

"Where is he buried?" Dad asked

"Up at the palace," Mom replied

"I will pay tribute to him, if I am welcomed into the palace,"

I tuned them out from the point forward. I focused on getting clean. The bruises and cuts which were on my body before were all healed, I guessed because of the Xing Energy I allowed to flow just a few hours ago. When I was satisfied with myself, I unplugged the drain and stepped out of the bath. I grabbed a towel and rubbed it all of my body, drying myself. It took a good half hour just to get my fur dry, before I was able to brush it out and make myself all pretty again. When I was finally done, I re-dressed and exited the bathroom, feeling very refreshed and energized. Everyone else was still waiting for me at the table.

"Ready to go?" Dad asked

"Ready as I'll ever be"

 **And another chapter for the books. I'm just about caught up, so new stuff very soon, though it's only new for me at this point. If you read, then please review!**


	41. Chapter 41

**I'm back. It is a real bummer that nobody actually wants to read this anymore. This story has been the most formative of my life. When I finish it, I'm thinking about writing either a Jay Naylor's "Better Days" Fanfic, or an "Avatar: The Last Airbender" Fanfic. Just a note, in case everyone who isn't there is wondering, no. The Fisk, Lucy, and Beth which are/were in my story were not based on the Jay Naylor characters. I thought of characters, and then gave them names which I thought suited them. The similarities were chance, and I didn't actually know who Jay Naylor was until someone mentioned the similarities. At that point I looked him up and read his clean comics, and I enjoyed them. With that said, enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter 13

"Ready as I'll ever be," I replied

He smiled and stood from his seated position at the table, followed by Mom and Aunt Lucy.

"I have to get home to Lee-Yang and Ling. Good luck, Fisk," Aunt Lucy said, giving us all one last hug before disappearing out the door

We stood, watching the door in silence for what felt like an eternity. We knew it was time to go, but also that whatever happens after we walk through that door would decide the future of our family. If Dad is welcome back into the palace, or even welcome in the valley. If he gets to stay, with us. We all knew that the future rode on whatever might happen after we leave our home.

"Alright, let's go," Dad said, and led us hand-in-hand out the door

Without words, we followed his lead, straight for the base of the stairs leading up to the Jade Palace. I expected him to hesitate; to pause at some point, and turn back, not wanting to risk having to leave again, but he did just as the man I remembered would. He knew the risk, but held his course. He was ready to face whatever consequences he would meet. He was the same dedicated, courageous, headstrong man who cared for me all my life. He wasn't changed by the events which took place. For that, I was glad.

As such, we held our course and walked up the stairs. I'd walked those stairs hundreds of times, but this time felt different. More lengthy, filled with dread. Like a march to a trial which would decide whether or not you were to be executed. In truth, it was maybe fifteen minutes later when we reached the top. The gate was open, and everyone was gathered in the main courtyard, chattering amongst themselves. As soon as we passed through the gateway, the chatter stopped. Those who were standing around Sky moved away, clearing a path for him to step forward as we approached. Once we were within a few feet, Dad released my hand and Mom's, stopping us as he continued.

Dad walked up to Sky, but kept his eyes glued to the ground. When the distance between them was all but eliminated, Dad kneeled down on one knee, submitting himself completely to Sky.

"I have no right to ask for your forgiveness," He said, "You gave up a life to save Niki's, and instead of being grateful, I spat in your face. That isn't the way a person should act…and it isn't the way of the Xing. Then, like a coward, I ran. I should have faced the problem, but instead I ran from it. I should have come back, but instead I hid myself, and my energy. I failed you, as a student. Failed Niki as a husband. Failed Star as a father. Failed myself as a warrior…and I failed both you and Colin as a son"

When he finished, all was silent. His eyes were closed; his fear and guilt radiated like the cold off of ice. A full minute passed of absolutely nothing happening. I couldn't read any emotion on Sky, and neither could anyone else, it seemed. We all sharpened our gaze when Sky grabbed Dad by the cloth of his vest and pulled him to a standing position. Dad looked into Sky's eyes with confusion.

"You made a mistake, but you are here. You brought everyone home, safely, and that proves that you haven't failed anyone. I was never angry with you, and so I need not forgive you," Sky said, before pulling Dad into a hug, "But you must forgive yourself"

When they broke apart, Dad nodded, "If it is alright, I would like to pay my respects to Colin"

"Of course. Everyone else wait here, I'll take Fisk to Colin. When we return, we will talk about the events of the last few days," Sky replied, before they both walked off deeper into the Palace and out of sight

For a few minutes, we all waited in silence for them to return. The five, Po and I were enjoying the peace and quiet, but both Mom and Shifu seemed very eager to get the information they'd been waiting for. I focused my attention on the sky above us. The sun was now at its highest and was beginning to fall, beautifully illuminating the few puffy clouds which remained of the early morning storm. It seemed so symbolic; in our time of hardship, a storm came, and as the tensions of that time pass, the last of those storm clouds would also slowly dissipate. I let a small smile crack the sides of my mouth as I watched them move across the pure blue sky. Before I even realized any time had passed, Dad and Sky returned to the courtyard, both of them looking a bit more at ease than when they left. The first thing to happen was Dad re-joining Mom and I, pulling us both close to him.

"What's done is done. I think it best we all move forward from these events. There is no need to speak of past mistakes," Sky said, "Now, on to more important matters. Shifu?"

"Yes. Obviously you all found something out there. What exactly did you find?" Shifu asked

Tigress was the first to step forward and speak, "At first there was nothing to be found. They were very well hidden in the forest, but you were right, Master. An alliance of criminals, the worst of the worst, all gathered at one camp,"

"But it was more than just a group of criminals. They were gathering for something much more sinister," Viper interjected

"And what would that be?" Shifu asked

Everyone fell silent. Nobody wanted to deliver the news, because nobody was exactly sure. I was different. I knew.

"They've begun a cult beneath the Phantoms," I blurted

Shifu looked stunned, along with Sky, but Dad only seemed to be putting things together in his mind.

"They've taken a side in the war. They believe that darkness it superior, so they've given themselves over to it," I explained

"Fisk, does any of that sound familiar?" Sky said, implying to something unknown to me

"Unbelievably familiar. The same thing happened a long time ago, when I went to America. People with darkness in their hearts are being used as organizers to shape this world for Phantom takeover," Dad replied

We were all silent for a few moments, each of us mulling this information over in our heads. _So, living people would choose death over life? We have got to end this soon, or our efforts will be pointless._

"I arrived on the scene just in time to defeat the Phantom who was present, but while there, something else was discovered," Dad said, breaking the silence, but pausing shortly after

"Well…what did you find?" Shifu asked impatiently, making Dad chuckle

"Star?" He said, silently telling me I should show them

I smiled and nodded before closing my eyes. As my breathing began to slow to a steady rhythm, I focused my energy and mind. _I have control. My energy is my own to command, and with it, I can do anything. Now, fly!_ Slowly but surely, I began to rise off of the ground. This action earned gasps from all around, most prominently from Mom.

"So, she was a Xing all along…but her energy is so much weaker than mine, let alone yours, Fisk…it doesn't make any sense," Sky said

"You'll figure it out. You're wise as Oogway was," Dad reassured, smiling as I returned to the ground

"Wait, something still must be done," Viper interjected, "If she is a Xing, then I think she's missing something"

Everyone, along with myself, was confused. Well, at least everyone except Sky, who smiled and looked down at me.

"Hold still, Star," He said, placing his hand on my head

I did as he commanded, and within moments, I felt my own energy begin to surge. It flowed through me in waves, beginning in my feet, head, and core, and each wave seemed to find an end within my hands. The feeling was indescribable, and each wave was more intense than the last. It was clear some kind of climax was approaching, and when it did, my energy surged. It seemed as though my hands were glowing with a bronze light, which lit up the faces of everyone around me. As the surge of energy calmed, Sky backed away.

"Your Xing weapon. A catalyst for your power, unique to you. Useless in the hands of anyone but you," He said

I was confused, but I felt that my hands were heavier. When I looked, I found that in each hand was a Tiger Hook Sword. The blades looked to be a shining silver, while the hand guards and pommel spikes were a shimmering bronze. The handles were wrapped in a deep crimson leather. This was a weapon I was completely unfamiliar with, yet they felt so natural in my hands. They fit each curve, each contour as if they were part of me.

"These weapons are the most versatile, most deadly, of all paired blades. Master their ways, and none will stand against you in combat; only fall before you," Sky said

I smiled to myself, my joy radiating around me. _I'm a Xing! These weapons prove it. I'll never have to put anyone in danger again._ I took a few steps away from everyone and began trying to go through a few motions with the swords. I was trying to make myself look good, but I was very unfamiliar with the form of combat used in conjunction with these blades. My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I only looked foolish.

"You're trying too hard to be good. Do what feels natural, not what feels right," Shifu said

I stopped for a moment and pondered his words. _Move naturally. Don't try and get it right…easier said than done._ I nodded to him, before trying to find a comfortable stance. Closing my eyes, and slowing my breathing, I turned sideways, with my right side facing towards everyone, and lowered my legs into the Horse Stance position. I held my right arm at full extension toward everyone, with my hand lowered to be level with my abdomen and the sword held sideways, ready to defend my body. My left arm was raised to be level with my head, and bent at the elbow so I could hold my sword facing forward. Feeling nearly perfect, I adjusted my right arm to be bent slightly so the sword would be closer to me. That stance felt completely natural; no strain, or any uncomfortability.

"Good, now move naturally. Let your feelings carry you through the motions," Shifu commanded

I took another deep breath through my nose, and exhaled through my mouth before beginning. At first, I was slow, taking a few steps forward and moving the swords in conjunction, letting each of my limbs flow on their own accord. Eventually, I found myself using these tools to some degree of skill, and seeing this, I smiled widely. After a few minutes, I stopped. I was breathing somewhat hard, but couldn't have been happier. Grinning, I looked at everyone else, who were also smiling proudly at me. I placed my hands together and bowed respectfully to the masters before me.

"What are those thingies on her back?" I heard Po ask

I stood back up and looked at everyone questioningly.

"Those are to carry the swords on her back, just like my staff," Sky replied

Confused, I took both swords in my right hand and used my left to reach back and search for whatever they were talking about. What I found was two smooth clips, attacked to leather straps which criss-crossed on my back, and as I discovered, around my chest, which I hadn't noticed before. Wanting to test them out, I took the swords in both hands again and spun them around before reaching back and clipping them into place over my shoulders. The motion felt so natural; like I had done it a hundred times before. As I pondered this, everyone stood in silence. Shifu was the one to break it.

"I'm sorry to change the mood of this moment so drastically, Sky and I must discuss the information gathered while you were at that camp. Everyone, take the rest of the day off. Come back tomorrow to continue your training," He said

Respecting Shifu's wishes, we all bowed, and went our separate ways. The five and Po went towards the barracks, while Mom, Dad, and I began our path to the palace gates. I could hear Po complaining as we walked away.

"The rest of the day? It's already almost night, what's the _*thump*_ ouch! Point…" he said, getting audibly punched by someone

"The point is he needs to be alone. Show a little discipline, Po," Viper scolded, before we were out of earshot

I smiled at their shenanigans and continued walking with my parents, side by side. It wasn't long before we were home, and each of us preparing to sleep our troubles away. _Finally home. Finally safe._

 **Here's another chapter. I'm off to see KFP 3, so later peeps!**


	42. Chapter 42

**OMG that was awesome! I've got the end of the story, the end of the journey, completely planned out! My passion is refueled, my foresight reinvigorated, and my creative juices are a-flowing. Get ready to feel the thunder!**

Chapter 14

I woke the next morning to the sound of voices in the kitchen. I could hear splashing water, telling me someone was washing dishes, and my father's voice in a back-and-forth conversation with Sky's. I stood from my bed and stretched the sleep out of my body, feeling myself come to full awareness. I then quickly dressed myself, and clipped my Tiger Hooks to my back, feeling so much better about myself just by having them with me. They were something of a symbol of my strength, and they empowered me with pride. As I was putting on my shoes, I quickly realized that I need new clothes. The cloth which tied my shoes to my pants was barely in one piece, and everything else I was wearing was in no better shape. Sighing with exasperation, I stood and exited my room, making my way into the front room, where I found Sky and Dad sitting and talking. Mom was in the kitchen washing dishes and preparing breakfast, going about her usual morning routine.

"Morning," I said, announcing my presence

"Good morning, sweety," Mom said, turning to smile at me before returning to her work

"Good morning, Star. Care to sit with us? I've been waiting for you to get up so I can tell you and your father a theory of mine," Sky said

I nodded and joined them at the table, sitting beside my father so I could face Sky. When I was comfortable, I gave him my full attention. His first words stunned us both.

"I do not believe we know everything there is to know about the Xing," He said, nearly making us fall backwards

"What do you mean? You two are Xing Masters, what more could you know?" I asked, astonished

"Master is a rank. There is always something more to learn," He replied, "I happened upon my theories in talking with Shifu last night. You see, I don't believe there is only one kind of Xing,"

"Master, I don't understand," I said

"I'm with her. What do you mean by that?" Dad agreed

"Fisk, compare yourself to Star and I. Your energy is far stronger than mine, and even farther than Star's. And Star, your energy is the weakest of us all, but your physical body and its strength makes us look like pushovers. Biyu was the same, but we never knew why," He explained

"So, there are two kinds of Xing?" I asked, still confused

"Yes and no. I believe there are many more than just one or two. Every individual body is affected by the energy differently. Fisk, what was it you said to me last night, when I was confused as to why Star's energy behaved the way it did?" Sky asked

"I said that you would figure it out; that you are wise as Oogway," Dad replied

"Exactly. My Xing Energy gives me a deep wisdom. Star's gives her immense strength, and Fisk, your own Chi was enhanced so much that the Xing energy is twice, or even three times stronger than normal," Sky finished

We all sat in silence, pondering this information. _Three kinds of Xing? Maybe even more? This is so strange. I thought we were all one of the same kind of being, but now we're all different?_

"Three kinds," I said, breaking the silence

Dad chuckled, "Imagine if we combined that strength into an attack, like the Yin-Yang Spirit Charge, except with three instead of two,"

"Wow, that attack would be a powerful attack weapon the Phantoms. Three points of pure Xing energy, like a trident," I added, laughing as well, but my words seemed to silence them both, "What?"

They didn't speak. They only shared a glance of astonishment and then stared back at me.

"The prophecy," Dad said

"The Xing War Trident, that's it! Star, you mad genius! It isn't a weapon, it's an attack," Sky exclaimed

"What?" I asked, very confused

"Two breaths turned one, and the light be brung. That's what the prophecy says. But it isn't two Xing combining themselves to defeat Hei'an…it's gotta be something else, because that didn't work before," Dad replied

"If it's an attack, it must mean that two of the three points of energy flow into the third, and through that point, it all is expelled and that much Xing Energy will destroy Hei'an for good!" Sky added

Their words made it clear to me. This was the way to finally win the war! To finally light the darkness in the world.

"We need to get this information to Shifu!" I exclaimed, standing from my spot

"Right, let's go," Sky agreed, standing as well, followed by Dad

"We'll be back later, honey. I love you!" Dad yelled, as we all bolted out the door

We quickly took to the sky, flying in a straight path for the palace. As we flew up, we passed by Po and the Five on the way down.

"Justice will be served!" I heard Po exclaim as we passed

The Five were in close pursuit behind him, but I wasn't concerned with them. I knew how important this information was, and knew we needed to get it to Shifu. As soon as we entered the palace, I spotted Shifu entering the Training Hall. I put myself on course for a straight shot to him, quickly followed by Dad and Sky. When I entered the hall, I saw a lot of the Palace staff preparing large vats of oil and taking positions in the rafters with crossbows and flaming arrows.

"Shifu, we've made and important discovery!" I exclaimed, grabbing his attention

"What is it?" He asked

"We should talk in private," Sky quickly interjected, motioning to all the eyes of the staff staring at us

Shifu nodded and motioned for us to follow him as he led us into a separate room, where we would be alone. He closed and locked the thick wooden door behind us before once again asking what we discovered.

"We think we've found a way to defeat Hei'an once and for all," Dad said, literally making Shifu fall over in surprise

"Are you sure!?" He asked, as he stood, "How many generations has this war been going? You must be certain of this information"

"We are. Master, I told you my theory about the Xing, and when we talked about it, we discovered that the Xing War Trident, the one you yourself saw in a vision, isn't a weapon at all. It is the combination of three Xing Energies into one to create an attack. Three separate energies, our energies, would be enough to destroy darkness completely," Sky interrupted

"Do you have any idea how to perform this technique?" Shifu asked

"I think so, but I can't be certain. In order to withstand that much energy, one would need an extremely powerful physical body, which Star has. We have all we need to perform the technique, I assure you," Sky replied

 _WHAT?! Are you kidding me? I'm not nearly as strong as either of them, how could I be the one able to withstand such a power? I couldn't even kill one phantom!_ My mind raced with these thoughts, and I began to doubt my own abilities.

"We'll talk more later. I have special plans for training today, so you three best get to finding out exactly how to do what you say," Shifu commanded

We all nodded and bowed respectfully before leaving. This time, Sky led us. We followed him out of the Training Hall, and deeper into the palace, into one of the less-used courtyards where we could train. I was exceedingly nervous, knowing what role they wanted me to play, but I also knew that if they were going to rely on me, I had to deliver.

"Fisk, stand about five feet to Star's right. I'll stand to her left. Take a horse stance and focus your energy. Get it as strong as possible, then slowly channel it toward her. Star, you need to be in the same stance, and do the same. But try and keep all of the energy within your body until you can't stand anymore, then release it," Sky commanded

We did as he said. Dad went to his commanded location, and in unison, we all took a horse stance. While the other two put their arms in the position which came with the stance, I clenched my hands into fists and crossed my arms across my chest. As soon as my own energy began to build, I felt two other energies join it, tripling the speed at which it charged. At first, it was invigorating. I felt so powerful, so unstoppable, but soon enough, it became a struggle to contain it all. My body burned, and my muscles felt like they were tearing apart. Only moments after we began, I reached my limit. I was unable to control the energy any longer, and attempted to release it, but a flame-filled explosion sent me flying backwards instead of a powerful attack being expelled. I wasn't in much pain anymore, but I stayed on the ground, bent over on all fours, breathing hard, and feeling ashamed that I wasn't strong enough.

"Star, are you alright?" Dad asked, rushing to my side

"I'm not hurt. I'm sorry, Dad," I replied

"Sorry for what?" He asked, placing his hand on my back

"I failed, again. I wasn't strong enough to hold the energy," I replied

"It was your first try, and ours too. We'll get better, and soon enough, we'll perfect the technique eventually, but even a Xing doesn't get it on the first try" Sky said

I looked up at them both and nodded, before standing and returning to my spot. They then returned to theirs and once again, we took our stances. We attempted the technique what must have been hundreds of times throughout the day, each time resulting in some kind of failure. Either I wouldn't have enough energy to make a successful attack, or I would have too much to contain and it would blow up in my face. Either way, we couldn't seem to successfully pull it off. We did get closer each time, but were never exact. When night fell, we called it a day. Sky went to his room in the Barracks while Dad and I left for home. Mom already had dinner made when we arrived.

"So how did it go?" She asked, as we sat at the table

"It went well. We are improving quickly, but as with everything, we do need time. A few days to perfect the technique, and a few more to build our strength so we can use it to a good degree," Dad replied

"Well, I hope you aren't counting tomorrow. I'm not letting this little lady go anywhere in those rags she is wearing. They're falling apart," Mom stated matter-of-factly, "So I'm taking her to get something new. A new vendor opened up in the market, so we might find something new"

"Babe, we need all the time we can get. This is really important," Dad argued

"No, Mom is right," I interjected, "I won't ever fight so close to naked again. Not after what happened. I'll try and make it fast, so I can get back to training with you two, but I need new clothes"

Dad sighed in defeat. He knew that even a Xing must succumb to the power of his wife and daughter. He nodded and in silence, we finished dinner. When I was finished, I excused myself to go to bed. When I was in the privacy of my room, I disrobed. Placed my Tiger Hooks on my bedside table, before removing what was left of my clothes. I then put on my night shirt before laying down in my cot and swiftly drifting into a peaceful sleep.

 **And here is another chapter. The journey is nearing climax, and my own excitement builds as I write. Shall I continue? YES I SHALL!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Here we are again. If you wish to know exactly what Star's new clothes look like, or at least the top half, search "Eragon Varden Armor" and go to images. That should give you a pretty good idea.**

Chapter 15

The next morning, I woke around the same time as the previous. I could hear activity already happening in the front of the house, so I quickly put on what remained of my clothes and clipped my swords to my back before joining Mom and Dad. Together, we enjoyed a breakfast of Bean Buns and Jasmine Tea.

"Alright, you two better get going. I'll be sparring with Sky while we wait for you, Star, so don't take too long," Dad said, as he collected the dishes and put them in the sink

"I'll have her up there before mid-day, hon. Just go," Mom said, smiling

They exchanged a peck on the lips before dad said goodbye and was gone.

"Alright, I just need to grab my sandals and then we can go," Mom said

"I'm ready when you are," I replied

She grinned and disappeared into the main bedroom. While she was in there, I began thinking of ideas for my new outfit. I knew I would need something durable this time, not just good for hiding. Tough leather, maybe metal armor. Something which can withstand a lot. After a few minutes, Mom immerged, and we left the house together. We headed straight for the market, wasting no time getting there. I made sure mom didn't try to stop to look at pottery, or anything other than what I was looking for. When we got to the clothing section of the market, I began my search. I scanned each and every cart, looking for more than imported Kimonos or basic commoner's attire.

"Doesn't seem like there's much more than last time we were here. Maybe Wang has another one of those outfits," Mom said, pointing to the one I was wearing. I shook my head.

"I need something different. More durable," I replied

"Well, I've heard that the new vendor sells some pretty different things. Wanna go take a look?" She asked

I thought for a moment, and decided it was worth a look. After nodding, I followed her as she led me through the crowd of shoppers. They all seemed so oblivious to the nearing threat of darkness. It only reminded me how important the role of the Xing was. When we were able to get to the location of the new vendor, we were met by an intriguing sight. It wasn't a cart, but a shop. A small sign above the wooden door told me that this place would be promising.

 **Arlin** **的鍛造**

 ** _"_** ** _Arlin's Blacksmithing"_**

With a gleeful purpose, I walked into the shop. As soon as I did, I was met by racks upon racks of swords, spears, and shields, amongst other weapons, seemingly from every culture. Japanese Samurai Armor, placed right next to a rack of broadswords. I was amazed by the sight; I couldn't imagine how Po would react.

"Can I help you find anything?" I heard a deep voice ask

I let my eyes scan the room, looking for the source of the voice. What I found was someone emerging from behind the front counter. A very large-build jaguar, wearing what looked like a leather aprin and leather gloves.

"We're just looking," Mom replied

"Actually, I'm looking for something in particular," I blurted, basically dismissing my mother

"Oh? And what would that be?" He asked, approaching us both

"You see, I do a lot of intense combat with some of the best warriors in China, so I need something strong and durable. Hard leather, maybe metal. Soft leather for the pants," I replied

"I think I have what you're looking for. Arthur, show this girl to the chain leather!" He commanded powerfully, looking back to the counter

"Yes sir!" I heard a smaller voice say, before another jaguar emerged

This one was young. Couldn't have been more than twelve, probably less, but he was obviously well built, and unbelievably chiseled in facial features. His strong posture, fit body, and face of a prince immediately grabbed my attention. He wore only brown leather pants, so his upper body was completely revealed. As he walked up to me, I felt my cheeks flush.

"Right this way, miss," He said, and led me away

I followed him nervously. I'd never paid attention to boys before, but now it felt like my insides were burning. We turned a few corners around a few stands, until we reached an area of the shop completely dedicated to armor. I forgot about the boy completely as I rushed to look over the beautiful pieces of armor. I could only enjoy the selection for a few moments before a voice drew away my attention.

"Is this what you're looking for?" He asked

When I looked, he was holding a folded set of armor. The shirt was made of silk, and the sleeves had small metal things attached in random places, but the center was bare. The pants looked to be a soft leather, like I asked for, but it seemed like it wouldn't do much good in protection.

"That shirt doesn't look like it will do much good as armor," I said, plainly

"Oh, you wear this over it," He said, and pulled out a leather vest which was decorated in what looked like chain mail, "You see, its cheap because it doesn't use much metal, but it's very durable because there is metal in it, which absorbs most impacts you'll take from weapons. Is it what you're looking for?"

I didn't answer. I only stared at the beautiful item before me. It matched perfectly to what I was searching for.

"I'll take that as a yes," He said, chuckling as he picked up the entire set

I nodded and smiled nervously, feeling embarrassed at my posture. I corrected myself before we walked together back to the front of the shop. When we arrived, I found that my mom was talking to the shopkeeper.

"Her and my husband train almost every day. It's quite the regimine to keep up with," She said

"I can tell. My son and I have been holding up this family business since my father left us and passed it on to me, but it gives us a life. Aren't many people in the business, you see," He replied

"Dad, she likes the armor," Arthur interjected, grabbing their attention

"She has a good eye. It'll get the job done, for you," the man said, smiling down at me

"She seems to. How much?" Mom asked

"For that set, I start the bargain at 500 Yuan," He replied

"I don't know. I've never spent more than 300 on one shopping trip, let alone an outfit," Mom argued

"Well, I can lower it to 400, but these aren't easy to make," He retorted

"I guess I can do 400. We'll take it," She replied, reaching into her satchel to pull out the money

"If you'd like to change, we have a changing room in the back," the man said

I nodded and grabbed the armor set from Arthur, before making my way to the said location. It wasn't long before I found the small wooden room lit by candles. Without wasting time, I entered and closed the door behind me before undressing. I left myself in nothing but my undergarments. I first put on the soft brown leather pants, before dawning the silk shirt. It all fit me very well, but left room for growing. The vest was complicated. Instead of buttons, I had metal clamps to put together and close to tighten it around myself. I couldn't seem to figure it out, and was getting frustrated, but there was a knock on the door which startled me.

"Are you alright in there?" I heard Arthur's voice ask

"This vest is aggravating," I replied, unable to figure out how it all fit

"If you're decent, then I could show you how it works," He offered

I sighed in defeat, "Come in"

He entered the room with a smirk and approached me in a few steps. With a grin, he grabbed the bottom one of the three clamps and began to demonstrate how it operates.

"You see, you have to feed this strap into the clamp. Pull it as tight as possible, then when you close the clamp, it holds in place," He said, doing everything his words described

"I see," I replied, blushing under my fur as I thought of how close he was

"Now you try," He commanded

I repeated what he had done and found that it was a simple task. I did the last two clamps before straightening everything out.

"Their. Fit for a thousand wars," He said, smiling, "Everything is paid for, so you can go,"

I nodded, but before leaving, I attacked my swords and their holders to the back of the vest. Once I had all my things, I made my way back to the front of the shop, where Mom was waiting. Together, we left. I couldn't help but glance back over my shoulder at Arthur. He was going about his work again, but I could've sworn he glanced at me as well. Seeing this, I smiled to myself, happy for some unknown reason.

"So, what do you think?" Mom asked, breaking me from my trance as we walked back into the main market area

"Oh, uh…it's great," I replied

"Not the armor, the boy! I saw how you looked at him. You like him," she teased

I was silenced by her words and simply stared dead in front of me in embarrassment. I racked my brain, looking for anything to change the subject, but couldn't think of anything. I was ready to give up and carry out the conversation, when I saw a large black and white figure a ways ahead. Po! He was wearing a new outfit, and carrying a large travel bag, but it was still the loveable panda.

"Hey look, it's Po!" I blurted, and jogged away from Mom and towards the panda

"Hey Po, what do you think of my new armor?" I asked, grabbing his attention

When he looked down at me, I immediately realized that this panda wasn't Po. He looked much older, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else," I said, taking a step away

"It's no problem. Maybe you could help me. I'm looking for my son. His name is Lotus, and I lost him many years ago," He said

"Umm, who's this, Star?" I heard Mom ask from behind me

"Oh, forgive me. My name is Lee Chan," He replied

"He says he's looking for his son. A Panda named Lotus," I added

"Well, the only other panda in the village is Po, the Dagon Warrior. His dad runs a noodle shop down that way," Mom said, pointing down the road

"Thank you. I'm sorry I wasn't who you were looking for. Good day," He replied, then walked off into town

We stood and watched him go, both of us thinking the same thing. That things for Po might get really complicated.

 **That's it for another chapter. In case it wasn't obvious, at from this point forward is SPOILER ALERTS for those who haven't seen KFP 3. Don't read past this point if you haven't seen it, unless you want to know how it all ends. Alright, bye bye!**


	44. Chapter 44

**Here I am again. Nothing to say here, so, enjoy!**

Chapter 16

Only an hour had passed since we left home. Mom and I broke apart and she went home while I made my way to the palace. When I reached the stairs, I took to flight, making the trip to the top in only a few minutes. Even being at the entrance of the palace, I could feel the energy being put off by my father and Sky. They were very clearly sparring, and sparring at full strength. I quickly made my way to the back courtyard, where they were putting on a show. It was quite the intense display of power.

I watched as Dad flaunted his clearly greater power. He didn't make a single move which wasn't boosted by his energy, and seeing it made me wonder how Sky was even keeping up. I wasn't able to wonder for long when it was explained. As dad pulled back and released the string of his bow, I watched Sky seemingly weave under and around it with amazing agility, before using his staff to place strategic hits along his biceps, abdomen, and legs before moving behind him and forcefully hitting him in the back. Dad was knocked onto his face, and send rolling across the ground. He laughed before standing.

"Beating you was easier when we were both the same kind of Xing," He said, bowing to Sky respectfully

"All that power does you no good if it never makes contact," Sky replied, returning the bow

When they straightened back up, I entered the courtyard and their line of sight.

"How do I look?" I asked, giving them a good view by twirling around

"Shiny," Dad joked, "Glowing, like I always knew you would,"

"Like a warrior fit for battle," Sky added

I smiled, "Thank you, Master. Shall we continue training?"

They both nodded, and together, we all took our positions. When we were in our stances, we began charging our energy, and I felt theirs begin transferring into me. I focused the energy into the core of my stomach, and let it build there with my own energy. Within a few moments, we were nearing the perfect amount of energy, and it was a struggle to contain it.

"Almost…there!" I screamed

On my word, they stopped transferring the energy to me. I then moved my hands to be right in front of my chest, placed together, and focused the energy into a ball between my palms. When all of the energy was there, I split the ball into three and passed one of the pieces to the each of the other two. The balls of pure energy each were causing their own gusts of wind strong as a monsoon, causing any loose clothing or hair to be blown in waves. When we had all entered the same pose, basically holding the energy in one hand while bracing that wrist with the other, we all began the chant in unison.

"With Light, Wisdom, and Strength, the darkness will be lit. To end the battle, for love and freedom, Xing Trident of War!" We exclaimed, before all letting out an intense battle cry and launching the energy in three beams straight up into the sky

We all had to firmly plant our stances, so as to not be thrown back by the immense wind caused by these energy beams. The energy wasn't any less huge, but as we carried on the beams, I became hopeful that we would manage to pull off the attack. After a few moments, the thick beams of energy began to thin out. I let a wide smile spread across my face, but my celebration was too soon. In the distance, just as the beam began to fade, I saw a series of small explosions, leading something of a chain back in our direction. When the small combustions got close enough, it was clear that it was not one, but three randomized chains of the small bursts of energy which made their way to us. An instant later, the chains reached us and we were sent flying backwards, again.

"Damn it!" I cursed to the world, voicing my anger, "We were so close!"

"Calm down, Star. We can try again," said Sky, placing a hand on my shoulder to calm me

"We're running out of time! We can't afford to keep messing up like this. The world needs us. People are losing their way, and the Phantoms are manipulating them in their vulnerable state. Hei'an is using them as pawns in his game. They need us there, now. We have to be ready!" I replied, ranting my frustrations

"Then we better not waste time. Let's get back to work," Dad commanded

I sighed, knowing he was right, and stood from my place on the ground before returning to my position. Dad and Sky followed suit and in unison, we began the process again. I felt the energy begin to build in me once more, but just before I was going to begin the formation of the attack, I saw Zeng flying overhead, not only in the path of the attack should we fire, but also looking to be in an urgent rush.

"Something's wrong," I said, before bolting off in the direction he flew

Agreeing with me, the others were quick to follow. We followed his path all the way to the Hall of Heroes, where he landed in front of the open door. It wasn't moments after he entered, when what remained of the palace warriors began filing out of the hall and made a dead sprint for the village. Po was the last to exit, surprisingly accompanied by the panda I had earlier met, Lee Chan.

"Po, what's going on?" I asked urgently, catching up and running beside him

"The village is under attack. By what, we're not sure. Tell your dad and Sky to stay close. We may need you," He replied

I nodded and pulled back to run beside the other Xing, as we all began down the stairs.

"We need to stay close. Something is attacking the village; something we've never seen before," I explained

Dad exchanged a glance with Sky before looking back at me with worried eyes, "Niki,"

I knew exactly what he meant by what he said. "I'll go, you two stay with the others!"

I quickly broke from the pack as we reached the base of the stairs, making a straight beeline for home. While running, I looked in the direction everyone else was going, and what I saw nearly stopped me in my tracks. I watched as everyone safe for Sky and my father engaged in combat with what looked like jade monsters. Their shape wasn't unlike anything you would see in the people living here, but their skin was composed of green stone, made obvious by Tigress getting hurt by punching them. I shook my head of thoughts of the creatures and continued on my path home. I was overjoyed to find our home completely untouched.

"Mom!" I shouted, trying to gain some sign that she was safe

Almost immediately, she burst from the house and ran to me, embracing me in her arms.

"Star! Thank goodness, you're alright. What's going on?" She asked, seeming pretty shaken up

"Some kind of monsters are attacking the village. I don't know what they are, but they seem strong-"

I was interrupted by a loud thump behind me. Something heavy had just landed. I whipped around in an instant, to find a jade figure in the form of a porcupine, carrying a bow, and looking ready for a fight.

"Mom, inside, now," I commanded, and drew my swords

No argument could be heard. Only the light tapping of feet, before a wooden door slammed shut. Within moments of me entering a stance, the creature reached back and grabbed a quill from its back. It used the quill as an arrow, notching it in the string before loosing the projectile right at me. I quickly deflected it with my left sword before charging the creature. In an attempt to destroy it, I raised both swords and began to slice downward with all my strength, but the monster used its bow to block both swords. I was stunned by this thing's strength; it blocked me effortlessly. Before I had time to gather myself, I was struck in the chest by a spin kick, knocking me backwards with incredible force. I rolled to a stop on the ground and quickly picked myself up.

I didn't give the creature a chance to keep going. Knowing I needed to put this thing somewhere it would be defeated, I charged again. It quickly notched another arrow and fired, but I leaped over the projectile and over the beast. As I passed, I hooked the ends of my swords under its arms, and used my own momentum to throw the beast up onto a roof a good distance away, where it was engaged by Po. Almost as quickly as the battle had begun, it ended. It took all of the five, Po, and Shifu, but they were able to force the creatures into Ping's noodle shop. Knowing it was safe, I ran over and inside to find that the monsters were forced onto their backs, and everyone else was standing over them. I was stopped in my tracks when a single voice rang out from each of the creatures' gullets.

The voice was large and male. He said his name was Kai, and that he was going to absorb the Chi of every Kung Fu Master. He said he was coming for us all, and for some reason, his claim sent a chill down my spine. When he finished talking, the creatures all shrank into small jade orbs, which then flew away into the distance beyond the village, headed toward the village.

"Master, I've never heard of anyone named Kai. Have you heard the name?" Tigress asked

Shifu only stood for a few moments, looking to be digging deep into his memory.

"Kai. Kai…Kai! Yeah, I got nothing. I've never heard the name," Shifu replied

"We should check the archives," Crane said, offering up an idea

Without response, Shifu silently agreed, and together we all ran back to the palace. We headed straight for the archive building, filled with shelves upon shelves of scrolls. Each scroll had something else to say. Either describing Kung Fu techniques, or telling of legends of the past, including the story of Oogway and Kee Pa. We all had no idea how it was all organized, so we patiently waited while Shifu searched through scroll after scroll, tossing each one down to the ground after discovering it to be useless in this situation.

"Kai…Kai…Kai," He kept repeating, as he sifted through the information on each roll of paper

An hour later, after he had created a mountain of useless scrolls, he pulled out one which looked different. It was in a metal casing, which he quickly removed and opened slightly. His face became one of complete aggravation when he found the scroll to be blank.

"Blank? You have got to be kidding me. Not this again!" He exclaimed, fiddling with the paper, trying to get words to appear, and succeeding in opening the scroll more, revealing where the words began, "Oh, here we go,"

"Why not open it all the way?" Crane asked, interrupting Shifu just as he was going to begin reading

Irritated, Shifu fully opened the unusually long scroll, and began reading again. The story was written in Master Oogway's handwriting, and told of his past before he was a master. He was a war general, leading an army into battle. But he wasn't alone; he had a brother in arms, and best friend, named Kai. They were an inseparable pair, and together, were unbeatable. But one day, Oogway was injured in battle, badly. With a drive to save his friend, Kai carried him for days upon days, traveling miles upon miles, but losing more hope by the day. Just when all hope was lost, Kai stumbled upon a village in the mountains, composed completely of Pandas. These pandas had learned the ways of mastering Chi, the energy within themselves, and used it to heal Oogway. As he regained his strength, the pandas taught him and Kai to use this power, but Kai had other ideas. He saw the way the pandas gave their Chi to heal Oogway, and knew that what could be given could also be taken. He learned to absorb the Chi of others, and threatened to take the world for himself. Oogway was forced to stop him, by sending him to the spirit realm. That was the end of the story.

I zoned out into my own world, thinking about the power this guy could hold. Could he possibly be more powerful than Hei'an himself? If he can go as far as absorb the power of others, then what more could he do?

"Po, you are the only one who can stop him," Shifu said, drawing me from my thoughts

"What? No way, you said he can only be defeated by a master of Chi. You can do it, you know Chi!" Po argued

"I can't defeat him, I can only make a flower bloom. I need at least thirty more years," Shifu retorted

"How am I supposed to master Chi?" he asked

"I can teach you," said Lee Chan, reminding me that he was still there

All eyes immediately fell to him, and he seemed to get nervous for a moment.

"Really? How?" Po asked

"You have to come with me, to the secret panda village. Remember what it means to be a panda," He replied

Suddenly, Mr. Ping immerged from the crowd, looking unhappy with that proposal.

"What? No way! I would like a second opinion on this. Shifu?" He said, looking for someone to back him up

"Actually, I think it's a good idea. You should go, Po," Shifu said, making Ping's beak drop

"Ok, then I'd like a third opinion. Monkey? Tigress?" He searched for someone to help him, but no further opinions were given

"Then it's settled. Po, you will go to the Panda village and master Chi, and use it to defeat Kai," Shifu said, making the decision final

Ping obviously wasn't happy with the decision. Before long, he, Po, and Lee Chan had all left the palace and were on their way. The rest of us stood at the top of the stairs, looking out at the village. I once again zoned out and began thinking about all the people in that village, and how much danger they could be in. I was drawn away by the sight of Tigress running off into the village.

"Crane, see if you can track down those creatures and find out how far away kai is. Do not engage him. When you find him, report back," Shifu said

"Awe, why do I have to go? Is it because I opened my mouth?" Crane asked, clearly worried about his predicament

"No, it's because you can fly," He replied

"Oh"

Mantis laughed and leaped up onto his hat, smirking, "guess you should learn to keep your beak shut-"

"And take Mantis," Shifu interrupted

"Awe, what? Not fair! Is it because I-"

"Yes," he interrupted again

I couldn't help but laugh as they flew off. Mantis seemed to be ranting non-stop, about how much he hated this mission. Dad signaled me to come back inside and keep training, which I readily agreed to and began making my way back into the palace. I was stopped in my tracks as what felt like a lightning bolt flashed through my mind. An intense feeling of unrest, which pointed my mind in the direction of the desert, and it seemed both Dad and Sky had the same feeling. I didn't know what it was, but when I looked at Sky for guidance, he only uttered words which caused my stomach to churn.

"Hei'an has returned"

 **Another chapter for the books. Things are intensifying, aren't they? Seriously though, major spoilers ahead. DO NOT read if you HAVE NOT seen the movie. If you HAVE seen the movie, then enjoy ;)**


	45. Chapter 45

**I'm back again with another chapter. Hope I am thus far not disappoint my astonishing zero readers xD oh well, it's fun to write anyway. Enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 17

I looked into the eyes of them both with nothing but dread in my heart. It felt as though my worst fears had been realized, but at the same time, a newfound purpose, a duty to all those people in the world, to end this as soon as possible.

"Sky, are we ready? It's only a matter of time before he comes for us," Dad said

It was at that point that I remembered that the only one of us to ever face Hei'an was Sky, and it took everything for him to send that monster back to the spirit realm. At that time, he had the power of only two Xing, however. We had three. This thought boosted my confidence.

"I don't know. He could have grown I power since I faced him. But do we have a choice? We either face him now, or wait for him to come here, where the village people will be in more danger than ever," Sky replied

His words closed the decision. I was not going to wait and put more people at risk.

"No. We are not endangering anyone else. We're ready, we can beat him!" I exclaimed, making my voice stern, "Which way is he?"

"His energy is coming from the desert…Star, are you sure you're ready for this?" Dad asked, seeming quite worried

"It doesn't matter. She's right, we can't wait. He has people all around this world who would fight for him, and an army of phantoms ready to summon. We can't let him rally those numbers," Sky replied

"So we have no choice. To the dessert," Dad said, accepting what we had to do

Right then, a thought occurred to me. One which, up until then, had eluded me.

"Wait, did you say the dessert?" I asked

I looked at them with fear in my eyes. The looked confused for a moment, but when that moment ended with a look of realization, that look quickly mirrored my own.

"Crane and Mantis," Sky said, announcing what we had discovered

Before I had time to do anything, they both took off into the air and began speeding their way across the sky. I was quick to follow, and soon managed to catch up to them. The mid-day air was cool, and nice, but my armor served as good insolation and kept me fairly and uncomfortably warm. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make for the protection it offered, however. Our urgency was obvious to anyone who watched us flying by, some of whom immediately went indoors. It was amazing how much distance Crane and Mantis had managed to cover, seeing as they left only minutes before us, but we were able to catch them in the mountains, pulling up beside them as they flew.

"Oh no. No no no no no, why are you three here?!" Crane exclaimed

I scoffed at his question, "What kind of greeting is that?"

"Whenever you three charge out into battle with us, it means there is something really bad," Mantis explained

"Not always," Sky argued

"Is there a Phantom up ahead?" Crane asked, in a smug tone

Sky hung his head in defeat, "Kinda."

Mantis puffed out his chest in triumph. After that, we just flew in silence for a while. More and more, the mountains shrank, until they were hills of rock, which then slowly turned into dunes of sand. Finally, Mantis broke the silence.

"So what kind of Phantom is it this time?" He asked

"It's Hei'an," Dad replied

Upon hearing that name, Crane froze with a honk and fell a few feet from the air. When he recovered and re-joined us, he still looked like he'd seen his mother on a bad day.

"Are you kidding me?!" Mantis exclaimed

"We felt his energy only a few minutes after you two left. He is somewhere in this dessert," I replied

"Ok, Mantis, new plan, let's forget this mission and get back to the village. We're in over our heads," Crane said

"No, we have to follow Shifu's orders. Besides, now we've got three Xing on our side, and they've been practicing that new attack which can destroy Hei'an for good. We have nothing to fear," Mantis retorted

"What am I fearing? I'm not scared," Crane lied, "Please tell me you've got that technique down,"

"Don't worry, we won't fail," I replied with determination

No further words were spoken for a while. Crane pulled ahead of us with Mantis in tow, but we didn't attempt to stay attached at the hip with them. We wanted to spread out slightly, and scan the dessert for any sign of Hei'an, but had no luck. We must have been flying for nearly an hour, with only the voices of Crane and Mantis to end the silence, though I didn't pay much attention to what they were saying.

"Look, it's Masters Bear, Croc, and Chicken!" Mantis exclaimed, drawing all of our attention as Crane took them down to fly beside the three running figures

We were soon to follow, flying on the opposite side of them as they explained that their villages had been attacked by jade warriors, and that they had tracked them this far.

"Look ahead!" Dad commanded

We all immediately did as he commanded, looking forward to find that about a quarter mile ahead was what looked like a large building of some kind. Hei'an's energy was getting stronger the closer we got, growing to a power which dwarfed Dad even at his peak. But beyond that, there was something else. Something which wasn't the Phantom Energy. It didn't feel like a single energy signature, but the immense power all came from the same body.

"Sky…" I said, pausing as I gazed at the structure ahead

"We feel it, too," he replied, not taking his eyes off of the building

My fear was growing with every second we flew towards whatever it was that was half-buried in the sand. We all stopped only a few hundred feet from what we discovered to be an overturned fishermen's boat. How it got in the dessert, I couldn't tell you, but both of the energies I was feeling were coming from inside. I couldn't decide which energy was stronger, and no matter how long I stood there, my fear wouldn't go away. It refused to even fade.

"I'm going in!" Master Croc shouted, before charging toward a hole in the side of the boat, pursued closely by Master Bear

"Wait! Master Shifu says we shouldn't engage him!" Crane exclaimed, trying to stop them, but they had already disappeared inside

The sounds of combat from inside were obvious, then a flash of green light silenced it all. I'd never seen a display of the sort, and had no idea what to think of it.

"Let's take him, Crane!" Mantis said

"But Master Shifu said-"

"Forget Master Shifu! Look, Master Chicken is going in, and he's a chicken!" Mantis interrupted, making a somewhat valid point

They were silent for a few moments while Master Chicken ran into the overturned boat. More combat noises could be heard, followed by another green light and silence.

"They need our help, I'm going in," Mantis stated, hopping down from Crane's hat and running towards the boat, "You go high, I'll go low!"

"Mantis, get back here!" Dad shouted

That was the first thing any of us three had said since we landed. I looked over to see if they were as stiff as I was, and found that Dad was very tense, but Sky only stood with his eyes closed, as if he were meditating. I turned my attention back to the boat, just in time to hear Mantis scream and see another green flash.

"Mantis!" Crane exclaimed, before bolting into the boat

Acting on instinct, I tried to run after him and help where I could, but a strong hand on my shoulder held me back. Once Crane disappeared inside, all fell silent. I was becoming more and more anxious the longer nothing happened. I was almost relieved when I heard Crane yelp, followed by a cry of anger and a battle beginning. The fight only lasted a few seconds before I saw Crane flying out the top of the boat, seemingly attempting escape. Seeing him make it out relieved me, but my celebration was premature. Not seconds after he escaped, did two small jade swords fly from the boat, each attached to chains, and entangle Crane's body.

"Bad idea!" Was all he said as he was pulled back into the boat, followed by another flash of the green light

My heart stopped for a few moments at seeing the last of the other masters defeated. It was strange, though. I could still sense their auras, but they had joined into the one before who felt like multiple others.

"Dad?" I said, unsure of the situation

"Master, what do we do?" He asked Sky, passing the question on

He was silent for a few moments before finally opening his eyes and looking at us with nothing but disappointment in them.

"We have to go. This is much worse now…I can't tell who is stronger. Hei'an, or this Kai. We need to get out of here, now" Sky stated, leaving little room for argument

"But where will you go?" I heard a deep, dark voice behind us

We all whipped around faster than lightning to find a large figure towering over us. He looked to be a Phantom, but his energy felt so much stronger, and his physique was so much more imposing. Seeing him instilled immediate fear in me, and I knew who this was without a second glance.

Taking a step back in fear, I uttered his name, "Hei'an"

"Yes, little Xing. I am Darkness," He replied, beginning to advance on us with an evil smile

"Stay back!" Sky commanded, taking his staff in hand, mirrored by my father, who drew his bow. I mimicked them and took my Tiger Hooks in hand, entering my stance as I did. Hei'an obliged the command, obviously humoring us. He raised both hands up in something of a submission and stepped back, smirking the entire time. A moment later, he scanned over each of us individually, before setting his sights on Sky,

"You, Tiger. You look familiar," he said, but Sky only hardened his stance, "Ah yes, I remember. You and your petty friend challenged me all those years ago, and now here you are again, ready to take me down, but you aren't strong enough, are you?"

"We're strong enough," Sky replied, angrily

"But your friend wasn't, was she now?"

Those words seemed to hit Sky hard, and I knew why. Hei'an was talking about Biyu.

"What did you say?" Sky asked, the anger evident in his voice

"I was able to kill her without any effort. I delighted in making you watch her die, but you ruined my fun. But my soldiers accomplished their mission when they forced you to give up her life!" Hei'an exclaimed, laughing when he finished

I glanced over at Sky and saw that his eyes were clenched, teeth barred, and tears rolling down his cheeks as his very body trembled with anger. An instant later, he charged with a cry of anger, and began attacking Hei'an with everything he could. Only now did I realize this monster's skill in combat, as he quickly and easily swerved around everything Sky tried. A few moments into the onslaught, he raised a singled palm, and seemingly lightly tapped Sky on the chest, but the force was enough to send the white tiger flying, then tumbling backwards through the sand.

"And you gave your woman up to save who? A worthless being with no power. A wench you didn't even care about!" he added

 _What did he just say?! That is my mother he is talking about!_ Dad seemed to be having similar thoughts about his words, and no sooner did I realize this did he charge the beast with a similar ferocity. The results were similar, as Hei'an dodged, before knocked Dad's Bow out of his hands and far away with something as simple as a backhand, before kicking him in the stomach, making him fall backwards a few feet and tumble through the sand. Seeing my father beat so easily scared, but also angered me to no end. On the instinct of wanting to protect those who I loved, and defend my mother's honor, I charged. I had both swords raised as I cried out in anger, making this towering creature chuckle. When I was close enough, he slowly raised his right hand and began to bring it down in a chopping motion, trying to dispatch of me as easily as he did the others. It came down seemingly gently, and slowly, but I knew the looks of his attacks were deceiving.

Knowing how strong he was, I crossed both swords in an X above my head, ready to block him. _Get ready to lose your hand, you bastard!_ But it wasn't so. When his hand made contact with my swords, it wasn't cut, or even damaged. Instead, I had to use every bit of my strength to keep my block intact, but I was still forced into a kneeling position by the sheer force of his attack. He looked slightly surprised, but he wasn't struggling at all.

"Your body is stronger than theirs," He stated, grinning maliciously at me

"Guys, charge your energy!" I shouted back at my father and Sky

I couldn't see them, but I could hear them enter their stances and I felt their energy begin to charge.

"What are you weaklings up to now?" Hei'an asked, seeming intrigued by our odd strategy

I didn't answer. I only held my ground where I was as long as I could. I was nothing but thankful when I felt the wind begin coming off of the other two, signaling me to get in position between them. With much struggling, I forced myself out of that position with Hei'an and leaped back to where I needed to be, before entering my horse stance. Hei'an only stood and stared at us in bewilderment, looking genuinely curious as to what we were doing. Happy to be given the time, I charged up my own energy and began channeling the incoming energy into my core. Within a few moments, I was ready and formed the ball of pure Xing energy, which immediately began throwing gusts of wind in every direction. In a glance, I saw that Hei'an's eyes had widened conciderably, telling me that we were out of time, so I sped up the process before quickly splitting the ball into three and passing a piece to the other two. We began the chant without wasting another moment.

"With Light, Wisdom, and Strength, the darkness will be lit. To end the battle, for love and freedom, Xing Trident of War!" We screamed in unison, before aiming the energy at Hei'an, who took a serious stance in preparation for the attack

I felt very confident in the attack this time, but my confidence was short lived. Almost as soon as we fired the attack, at which point Hei'an looked to be worried, one of those familiar Jade swords came out of nowhere and carved a trench in the sand right in front of us, sending us all flying backwards in a wave of dust. As we shook our heads clear, we could hear the Hei'an talking to the wielder of these weapons.

"I thought you said you could handle them. You looked scared for a moment there," said the second person, who I guessed was Kai

I couldn't even remotely tell what kind of animal he was. His body was huge, bigger than Hei'an, and his muscle build was similar to an ox, but his tail was too long and he had antlers like an old deer. Around his belt, he wore jade pendants which each looked like one of the fallen masters.

"I was doing fine, Kai!" Hei'an said, in a more defensive way

"Alright. So, about your offer. You really have an army of powerful creatures at your disposal, each carrying a more powerful energy than Chi?" Kai asked

"Yes. Join me, and you'll be able to conquer this world, and all others. You'll have all the Chi you desire. Join me, and nobody will ever defeat us again," Hei'an replied

"Alright, but if you fail to deliver, I won't hesitate to end you," Kai threatened, getting right in Hei'an's face, "But first, I have three more masters to add to my collection,"

With that said, Kai turned to face us where we lay on the ground and readied his blades. We all got to our feet quickly and readied our stances, but we knew this wasn't a fight we could win. Just as Kai was about to move, Hei'an grabbed onto his upped left arm from behind.

"Wait! The Xing are mine," He said

"But their Chi is mine," Kai replied, breaking free of Hei'an's grip

Hei'an wasn't going to give up; he angrily grabbed onto Kai's shoulder and forced him to turn around.

"You listen here, I have fought the Xing for centuries. The right to end them is mine, and mine alone, you fool. Do not defy me-"

Hei'an was silenced by a single backhand to the jaw, which knocked him onto his back, multiple feet away. That strength was unbelievably terrifying.

"All energy belongs to me, and you would be wise to remember that. Do not cross me again," said Kai, forcefully

Hei'an looked stunned by the blow, and clearly caught off guard. All three of us were distracted by this as well, and failed to notice Kai swinging his swords in our direction. We only noticed it in time to watch ourselves be entangled all at once in the snare of the chains. They pressed us together tightly, and try as we might, they seemed unbreakable. Almost immediately, I felt my energy begin to drain. I grew weaker and weaker with every moment that went by as Kai pulled us towards him. He had his hands reaching toward us, and they were beginning to glow green. I could see my energy flowing from my body and into his, and there was nothing I could do. I was scared and helpless, no better off than I was when I was captured.

"D-dad…" I said weakly, seeking the savior which had always been there, but he looked as weak as I was

I had all but given up hope when a familiar voice shouted out in anger, "The Xing are mine!" and an instant later, Kai was hit and sent flying towards the boat, dropping us.

Our energy immediately returned, and when we looked, we saw Hei'an standing and facing down Kai, who had drawn his blades back and was glaring back at Hei'an with rage. Without words, they charged each other. I paid little attention to the battle, trying to gather our things and get going before they had time to turn their attention back on us. All I know, is the battle was almost literally explosive. I discovered how uneven the match was, however, when I glanced over and saw Kai catch Hei'an in his snare. Moments later, I saw his energy begin to flow from him over into Kai's body. I immediately knew that he was be nothing shy of unstoppable with his energy combined with Hei'an's.

"This power! The power!" Kai exclaimed, loving the sensation as Hei'an was reduced to another jade pendant

Sky was quick to give us orders, "Run! Just run!"

 **Holy god, this is intense. Looks like the Xing are finally facing a foe greater than Hei'an, greater than the phantoms. Greater than they were prepared to handle. This is exciting! When I started this story, I can honestly say I wasn't planning to make any of the KFP villains more powerful than Hei'an, but here we are. Review please!**


	46. Chapter 46

**I dearly wish people were still reading this. This story is so emotional for me…I thought about it earlier, how it's really almost over. This story which got me through so many hard times. Losing friends, and loved ones. Having to leave behind the home I grew up in. To be here, where I know there are only a few chapters left before it's over, is so amazing, yet also, so hard for me. Saying goodbye to all of these characters is going to be so difficult. And it hurts to know that nobody is going to be there to witness me saying my last goodbye. Either way, I'm thankful that this story exists, as a memory back to the good and bad times, when I made it through.**

Chapter 18

We turned our backs to the spectacle and ran without hesitation. When we were behind a sand dune and out of sight, we took to the air, flying towards the sunset. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Kai in the distance, staring in our direction but making no move to follow. He knew he didn't have to. We had already failed, and had no chance of defeating this tyrant. Knowing this, I felt tears role down my cheeks, and fall from my chin, left falling through the air behind me. We had failed everyone; I had failed everyone. We flew non-stop, until we reached town, where we were forced to land from fatigue. Everyone looked at us with hope, but we couldn't do anything but look down in shame, making our failure known. Wanting answers, most of the townspeople followed us, until we stopped in front of our house. Mom saw us through the window and came out to greet us, but was frozen both by the crowd and by our looks of defeat. We knew we needed to give these people answers, so we stood and faced the crowd. I didn't know what to say, or how to explain what happened; I was too ashamed to speak. Luckily, one of us was able to swallow his pride and speak.

Sky spoke loudly, "Many of you saw us flying out of town, and many of you knew why. Hei'an has returned, and we set out to defeat him. But there is a new enemy. One who is able to absorb the Chi of any enemy he defeats; he was stronger than Hei'an and absorbed his power. We had no chance of defeating him. Our only hope now is the Dragon Warrior. He is the only one who can defeat this monster. For now, everyone needs to evacuate the town. He is coming here for the Chi of the jade palace warriors. Take only what you need"

The crowd began quiet murmurs of surprise and fear. Mom's own eyes were wide with shock, and her hands covered her mouth which hung agape. Without further hesitation, Sky covered the rest of the distance to the stairs, and began the climb. Dad and I only stood in place, along with the crowd who hadn't yet dissipated. I wanted to say something, and even opened my mouth to speak, but no words came to mind, nor did any noise escape me. I lowered my eyes in shame, once again; then my dad's voice broke the silence.

"Thank you all for being so loving and loyal to us. We will do what we can to protect you, but you have to find somewhere safe to go. I am truly sorry, but we have failed you. Go, get your things and head west. We'll hold Kai of for as long as we can," he shouted

This time, everyone listened. The all went to their homes; whether it was to gather belongings and flee, or say goodbye to loved ones, I didn't know. My attention was drawn to Dad as he sighed and knelt to the ground beside me, turning me to face him. I knew what he was going to say before he even said it.

"Star-"

"No! I'm not going to leave. I'm a Xing too, I can help you fight Kai!" I exclaimed forceful, my voice faltering slightly

"I know you are, baby. And I couldn't be prouder of you! That's why I'm trusting you to go with these people; protect them, and your mother," He replied

 _He trusts me this much, believes in me this much? I thought I was a failure, how could he believe in me so? Well, I won't let you down, Dad. I won't fail you._ I began to cry again as I fell into him, wrapping my arms around his neck in a last hug. He quickly hugged me back, and held me tight to his body. It wasn't long enough before we broke apart, and he stood as Mom approached. She also had tears flowing down her face, but she didn't make any noise to signal herself crying. Without words, they embraced each other in a hug, and spoke to each other without separating.

"I have to go away, for a while, but we'll see each other again," Dad said, quietly

"I know…I don't want to say goodbye," Mom replied, her voice faltering slightly

"Then, how does 'see you later' work?"

Mom pulled back only enough to look him in the eyes, before nodding, and they quickly moved in for a passionate kiss. Normally, I would have turned away from such an act, but this time I saw it as more than a lover's kiss. I knew that that kiss might have been the last one they would ever share. When they broke apart, they shared one last knowing glance, then Dad shared one with me, before he broke away from us and ran up the stairs.

"Goodbye, Dad," I said silently as we watched him leave

"Come on, we need to get our things and go," Mom stated, leading me back into the house

The village had acted quickly, and many of them were already leaving as we packed. Nothing made me feel worse than preparing to flee. All my power, all my training, only to be the one running away. Mom packed as much food as she could, while I went room-to-room trying to find what I could that I thought was useful. While I was in Mom and Dad's room, I found a leather travel pack, which looked somewhat old. Inside, I found an assortment of objects; a white shirt, which wasn't made of silk, and looked too small to fit dad now. I also found a painting, which was of him and Mom when they were around my age. They looked so happy together, even then. There was also a few more strange items of clothing, which didn't look remotely close to anything I'd seen before. When I had emptied all those things out, I found something else; something that was strange even by the standards of what I'd found so far.

It was made of metal, and seemed to be some kind of tool. It had a kind of "L" shape, and inside the curve was a little moving part which I could pull back and it would pop back out. On the back of it, there was another moving part which I pulled back with my thumb, but it locked in place. Thinking back to some of the things I'd seen that Dou Dai made, I thought that the first piece might have been to release the second after it locked. With this in mind, I fed my finger back through the little hole and pressed it against the little button. I dropped the little device in fear when the button I was pressing clicked, and the second part slammed forward. Nothing else really happened, but I wasn't expecting the sudden movement. Getting ahold of myself, I picked the little device back up and looked it over. On the left side of the little machine, there was another button, which I pressed in curiosity, and from the bottom of it, another little item fell. I put down the original device and picked up the other. It seemed to be a container, but it was empty.

"Your father brought that home as a keepsake from his time in America," I heard mom's voice in the doorway, causing me to nearly hit the ceiling

She laughed as she approached and put a hand on my shoulder, "And I painted that painting for him when he left to start his journey in the world, so he would never forget me"

 _So, this painting helped him remember Mom? Wow…_

"Let's take it with us, so we won't ever forget him," I said, picking up the painting and standing

"Sure, baby. If you're ready to go, everything is all packed," She replied

I nodded, and together we walked out to the front room. There were only two backpacks, and I took note that it was getting dark out. As Mom helped me put on one of the packs, I couldn't help but let my emotions fall low, thinking about my failure. All these years, all the stories I was told of the fights Sky, Dad, and even Biyu went through to win this war. Everything they lost trying to save everyone else, and it was over. It ended in our defeat. This thought brought tears to my eyes. Mom immediately noticed and quickly dropped to her knees to give me a comforting hug, and I sobbed into her shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay. We're going to be alright," She said

"No it's not…we lost, Mom. We failed, and I'm just…I'm sorry, Mom," I said, between sobs

She pushed me away so she could look into my eyes, "You listen to me. You did everything you could. But you weren't trained to fight Kai. You are a great warrior, a strong person, and an even better daughter. We'll find a way through this, I promise, but first, we have to go, so we can live to fight another day,"

I wiped the tears off of my face, and nodded. With a smile, Mom stood back up and grabbed the other bag, before we walked to the door together. She had her hand on the handle of the door, when a noise from outside froze us in place. It sounded like metal scraping against stone; swords scraping against the ground. I signaled Mom to get low, before sneaking over and peering out the window. What I saw nearly stopped my heart. Kai, that familiar hulking figure, was standing in the middle of the abandoned road, staring up the stairs to the jade palace with a malicious grin. I was frozen with fear. After a few moments, he grabbed two of the jade pendants from his belt and tossed them out in front of him. The almost immediately formed into two of the jade monsters we had fought the other day, but not any we'd seen before. These two were in a familiar shape: Crane and Mantis.

"Go, give me a good dramatic entrance," Kai said

The two jade versions of my friends nodded, and disappeared up the stairs. Kai stood for a few moments, taking a few deep, blissful breaths.

"Oogway, my old friend. I'm finally here to tear down the foundation you built for peace," He said, before bounding up the stairs

 _No, it's too soon._ I had thought I would be ready to walk away, and leave Dad and Sky to do their duty, but I wasn't. Seeing this monster bound up the stairs, heading straight for my masters, and my family, gave me a gut feeling that running away was wrong. That I had to help them distract this monster for as long as possible. With this in mind, I turned and looked Mom square in the eyes. We shared this glance for what felt like an eternity, speaking a thousand words which our mouths could never have said.

With a sad look mixed with a look of pride, she spoke the words I needed to hear, "Go, they need you,"

I smiled, and dropped the pack I had been holding before rushing for the door.

"And Star,"

I turned to face her again.

"I'm so proud of you," She said

I smiled widely at her comment, before running out the door and breaking into a sprint, heading straight for the palace. I wanted to conserve my energy, so I didn't fly up the stairs. Instead, I ran as hard as I could up the stairs. It was almost fully night by the time I had made it halfway up. I couldn't explain it, but I was driven forward with a passion, a purpose greater than any I'd ever felt before. For a moment, I felt unstoppable; that is, just for a moment. For almost as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I was met with carnage. Flying through the air, was the newly made statue of Master Oogway, which came crashing down and broke into many pieces, cracking the stone ground where it landed. Floating all around the palace were the remnants of the archives. Pieces of paper, scrolls everywhere, and the building which held them was completely destroyed. Moments later, I heard a fight ensue near where the statue originally was.

"Dad, I'm coming," I said to myself, before continuing in that direction

I didn't know why, but I had an extremely bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. As if my spirit knew that I wasn't moving fast enough; that I wouldn't be there in time. This drove me to move faster, and right as I turned the corner for the desire area to come into view, I witnessed a horrifying spectacle. Sky, Dad, Monkey, Viper, and Shifu all entangled in Kai's chains. I froze at the sight, and watched as they were all absorbed. _No…I wasn't fast enough. I could've saved them! I failed again! That monster is going to pay!_ With my blood boiling, I charged. His back was to me, so I knew I had the advantage. I was within fifty feet of him when I was tackled from the side and forced behind cover. It was Tigress, and she was holding me down with all her might, and holding a paw over my mouth to keep me quiet.

"Shh," She said

I stopped struggling against her and she let me up, but I demanded an explanation.

"I'm sorry, Star, but we can't waste time. Kai is going after the pandas. We have to warn Po, before it's too late," She said

I was exceedingly conflicted, but after a moment of contemplation and forcing myself to let go of what I just witnessed, I nodded in agreement. She sighed and thanked me for agreeing, before grabbing a scroll off of the ground. The scroll which told about Kai. After that, we left. We silently left the palace, and made way straight for the mountains. I couldn't help but silently sob as we ran, knowing that now, all I had left was Po and Tigress to help me defeat this monster. Victory seemed completely out of reach.

 **Ok, things are getting REALLY intense now. Not just in the story, as well. My family has hit a rift, so my home life is nothing short of war. My aunt nearly drove us off the road when she attacked my mom while she was driving, so…yeah. I'm using my stories as a way to cope, and maybe not blow a gasket all over what few people still act like I exist.**


	47. Chapter 47

**Oh, how the home life is fun! Can't wait for the next episode, when my aunt refuses to sign residency contracts and gets us kicked out on the streets. Memo to me, maim her after this story.**

Chapter 19

We traveled for days, on foot, but were unable to locate any sign of civilization in the mountains. Up and down mountainsides, scaling cliffs, and constantly looking for some source of food. Tigress had a leather canteen, so water was easier to transport, though still not easy to come by. We were stuck eating nothing but various fruits which grew on the bushes and trees which came in blotches on the mountain sides. I tried to stay strong, and not show my sadness, but my efforts were pointless. On the inside, I couldn't help but remind myself how much we had let down the people of the world. We thought we were close to victory, but in truth we couldn't have been farther from it. The allies Hei'an had made from the living world were the turning factor he needed to weaken us, and the war was lost as soon as he met Kai. One night, as we were settling down at the base of a cliff, my sadness showed through.

"Star, come here," Tigress said, patting the ground beside her as she attempted to start a fire

I did as she said, "What is it?" I asked, my voice weak and faltering

She was silent for a few moments as she dug around for stones in the dirt. When she found two good-sized ones, she began striking them together over her wood and kindling, sending sparks in but not lighting anything.

"I know that since we got back from that camp, you thought the worst was over. So did I, frankly, and you saw something back there which you should never have had to see," She said, glancing at me as she made sparks fly

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine," I lied, sitting down beside her

"I'm glad, because I'm definitely not," She replied, stunning me

"You aren't ok?"

She smirked and smashed the stones together again, to no success. Sighing in frustration, she answered, "I just watched my Master, the closest thing to a father I could have, and what I considered to be my brother get sucked up like soup into that…thing. I lost my fellow warriors, my family to him. My friends…"

I considered her words for a while. _Her brother?_

"Your brother?" I asked

She chuckled, "A long time ago, another tiger appeared in an alley in town. He came with a mission, and to complete it, came to the palace. He wished to be trained by Shifu in Kung Fu, but it is our tradition that is someone wished to train at the palace, they must defeat a warrior of their choice. He chose me, and frankly, I didn't have a chance. He only had to beat me, but instead, he lost control of his power and hurt me pretty bad,"

"Sky," I stated, realizing to whom she was referring

She nodded, "Yes. Instead of gloating, or saying we weren't what he expected, he rushed to my aid. He took care of me, and not only that, but he offered to allow me to take a blow at him to get even. He showed such honor, such integrity…it reminded me of someone I knew back at the Bou Gou Orphanage, someone who was just the same. From that day forward, we were like brother and sister. He was always there to protect me, when the battles I waged became too hard for me to fight by myself. It was a huge loss to us all when he and Biyu merged, and he became someone else. But it was an even bigger loss when he lost her forever-GAH!" She exclaimed, as she jammed her finger in another attempt to start the fire, "Curse these stones!"

Casting them into the dark distance, she gave up, and pulled her knees to her chest. I stood and approached the fire pit she had made. Placing my hand on the wood, I focused my energy into my palm, and with a single bronze spark, the fire ignited. I quickly pulled my hand from the flame, managing to not singe my fur at all. Seeing all of my power made useful in only starting a fire made me quite upset.

"I had so much to live up to that I didn't even know about when I was born. The legacy of the Xing was so unbelievable when I finally learned about it, but I believed it anyways, because I had seen my father and Sky. I had seen them do such amazing things, and when I was told I could be just like them…I don't know. I set such high expectations of myself out there, that when I was told I didn't have the power in me only moments later, it broke me. I felt like such a disappointment, so I tried everything to get better. But I was still so useless when those Phantoms attacked, and Mom almost died trying to protect me," I said, growing angry at myself and turning my back to the fire, "Sky had to sacrifice so much just to save her. He gave up everything because I wasn't good enough!"

My angry screaming of those words carried through the mountains, and as I exclaimed them, my fists clenched and slammed to my sides. Evidently, my outburst caused a surge of energy which made the fire go crazy behind me. It took me a few moments to calm down, and slow my breathing, before I could turn to face the very shocked Tigress and continue.

"But then, when we were in that camp, I let all of that go. My fears, my anxieties, I just let them fade behind the realization that you, Viper, and everyone else needed me. They needed the power I had, the power I KNEW I had. I learned that day that being a Xing isn't about never failing, and getting everything right the first time. Being a Xing is about never giving up hope. Always seeing the light in the darkness, and being able to spot a star in the blackest of night skies,"

Satisfied with my own words, I returned to my spot beside Tigress and sat down. We were silent for a few minutes, enjoying the glow of the warm fire and breathing the cool mountain air, thin as it was.

"So, what hope is there here?" She asked

I knew the answer immediately, as she took a swig of water from her leather canteen, "We're still here to fight for the world, and your boyfriend will defeat Kai before he can hurt anyone else,"

Hearing this, Tigress spit the water from her mouth, the mist going a good distance away.

"Po is just a friend!" She exclaimed

I didn't reply; only laughed at her instant defensive reaction. After a minute, she too began laughing at my antics. For the first time in days, we enjoyed each other's company. Though we still couldn't forget what we saw Kai do, we still were able to drop it for the time being. After a minutes, we were able to calm ourselves down enough to speak again, and I was the one to take that course of action.

"Po really does care, you know. I can see it in the way he looks at you, and especially in the way he protects you," I said

"Like he did when Fisk let his anger take over, the day he left. I saw it then, more than ever before, or since. There was no way he would be able to fight against your dad, but he would've to defend my honor. I know," She replied

I smiled and nodded, before turning over a few pieces of wood to strengthen the fire. After a while, we both turned in for the night, doing our best to sleep on the cold dirt floor. It wasn't ideal, but we both managed, albeit not for very long, for a few hours later, I woke to the sound of twigs breaking in the darkness. I was quick to my feet, and had my swords in hand before I could take a second breath.

"Tigress, wake up," I whispered, kicking her leg

She roused quickly, and stood to stand beside me, before I replied, "Something's out there,"

"How do you know?"

"I heard it over there," I said, pointing out into the darkness

It was then that a figure about my size began emerging from the shadows right in front of us. The weakened flame barely lit whatever it was, so Tigress and I preemptively took defensive stances. I immediately relaxed when the figure came fully into the light, revealing the son of Arlin, the blacksmith.

"Arthur!" I exclaimed, rushing up to him

It wasn't until I was halfway to him that I realized what bad shape he was in. His pants were ripped and torn, and his shirtless form was in no better shape. Fur ruffled and matted with sweat and blood, cuts all over his body, and in his stomach was one of the jade quills that one of Kai's monsters was using as arrows. As I reached him, he forced a smile before collapsing into my arms. I dropped to the ground and cradled him, looking over his injuries.

"Arthur, what happened to you?" I asked

"F-father…wouldn't leave the shop…monsters attacked…too strong," Was all he said before passing out completely

"Star, you need to heal him," Tigress stated

"Right. Can you pull that arrow out of him, while I find out how bad this is?" I asked

She nodded and moved over next to me to do as I asked, while I focused my energy into his body. To my relief, it was mainly flesh wounds, with the addition of a few cracked ribs, but I knew it would still take time.

"I can heal his cuts here, but his ribs are cracked. That will take more time, and more energy that I don't have. We need to find that panda village," I said, as Tigress tossed the arrow aside

"Wait, can't you sense the energy of other people?"

Hearing her question, I almost immediately punched myself. All this time searching, and never once did I think to try sensing the auras of the pandas? Stupid!

"Hold him!" I commanded, handing the body over to Tigress, before scooting away

When I was ready, I crossed my legs and began reaching out into the mountains with my mind. Almost immediately, I felt a large group of energies, all unbelievable close to us. They were a few feet behind us, but much higher up.

"On the cliff!" I exclaimed, surprising Tigress

"What?" She asked

"The village, it's up there!" I replied, pointing up the cliff, to the top, which was concealed by clouds

"How do we even get up there?" She asked

Before even answering, I took my Tiger Hooks in hand again, "You hold on to me, and don't let go. I'll get us up there"

She nodded, and with Arthur over her shoulder, grabbed on to me. When she signaled me that her grip was good, I began my ascent. It was too much weight for me to fly, so instead, I climbed. I jumped off the ground, and used the hooks to grab the side of the nearly vertical cliff. From that point forward, I was jumping non-stop from crevice to crevice. Any time I saw something I could grab, I jumped to it. This proved more difficult, when we entered the thick clouds which made it hard to see, and also made the rocks damp and slippery. I realized that as I was flying up again, but when I reached up with my swords to grab the ledge in mind, one of them slipped off, causing me to nearly fall, but worse, causing Tigress to lose her grip. She screamed as she fell, but she wasn't falling for long. I was able to reach down and grab her wrist, and in turn she reached down and grabbed the waistband of the still unconscious Arthur, leaving us dangling in a chain of people. Right as Tigress grabbed Arthur, however, it seemed her shoulder was pulled out of socket. She screamed in pain, but refused to let go of him.

"Hold on!" I yelled down

My mind was racing, as I tried to look for a way to pull them up without falling again. When the solution came to me, it wasn't one I liked, mainly because of how uncertain I was, but it was the only way.

"Tigress, this is gonna hurt!" I warned

"What?!"

Before I gave her any time to try convincing me to try something else, I began swinging back and forth. When I had gotten enough momentum, I used all my strength to throw all of us straight up into air. We were quickly over the cliff, and all landed painfully on the stone ground. I laid there for a few moments, just trying to collect myself after the impact hit. When I was able to stand, I rushed to where Tigress and Arthur had landed. Arthur was still unconscious, which was more than Tigress could say. She was now writhing in pain, clenching her shoulder which was obviously in lots of pain.

"Some idea, Star!" She exclaimed angrily

I didn't reply; only stood and brushed off my armor. When I was certain I hadn't lost anything, and I was uninjured, I went to Tigress' side, stopping her from writhing around.

"Brace yourself, I'm gonna pop it back in on three," I lied, taking hold of her arm. When she nodded, I began, "One, *pop*,"

She let out a very audible yelp, but when the pain faded not too long after, she tested her shoulder by winding her arm.

"That was a feeling all too familiar," She said

I smiled widely at her, before walking over and picking the still unconscious Arthur off the ground. Tigress was able to stand, but only barely.

"We're close, really close," I said, and then a thought occurred to me, "What are we even going to tell him?"

She answered without hesitation, "The truth"

 **Nearly there, people. We are nearing the close of this story…or, I am at least. Oh well, read on!**


	48. Chapter 48

**I'm gonna do my best to finish this story before summer break, because over summer I will be refining some of my original books and copyrighting them so I can sell them digitally. Its time I stop binding myself to fanfictions, and start letting my own imagination flourish!**

Chapter 20

Together, we stumbled around rocks, and up stone stairs in the direction I was feeling the energy. The sun was beginning to set as we came to the top of the hill, where we came face to face with a village full of nothing but pandas, and standing dead center of them, looking as surprised as the rest of the pandas, was Po. At first, he smiled, but when he noticed our condition, he rushed to our, or rather, Tigress's side.

"Tigress, what happened?" He asked urgently, looking her over from head to toe

"Kai attacked the palace. He destroyed everything, Po. He's coming for the Pandas," Tigress weakly explained

"What…?" Po asked, not entirely believing her words

"Po, he absorbed everyone. The rest of the five, Shifu, Sky, my Dad…Even Hei'an fell to his knees. Kai can't be defeated by anyone except a master of Chi," I said

"Please tell me you've mastered it," Tigress pleaded hopefully

Silence. Po stared at us in disbelief for a few moments, before turning to face one of the pandas in the crowd, whom I identified as Lee Chan, the panda I met in the village just over a week prior. With wide eyes, Lee Chan turned to the rest of the pandas and began yelling orders for them to get there things and prepare to evacuate. Po immediately chased him down, leaving Tigress and I very worried.

"Come on, we need to find somewhere I can heal Arthur, and afterwards, heal you," I said, before leading the weary feline into the village

We went from house to house, but were unable to find an available bed. Eventually, I found a grassy hill, which was fairly soft and I decided that it was better than stone, so I laid Arthur down in grass. Tigress sat on the other side of him, and watched as I focused my energy into my hands, and gently dragged them across his ribs. With every crack I mended, I felt my fatigue grow that much stronger. Eventually, as I was nearly finished, Arthur came around, groaning as he woke from his unconscious state. His eyes fluttered open, and focused on me. First they looked, glazed, into mine, before slowly moving down to my hands which glowed and glided over his body, healing the last of his injuries. He almost immediately screamed and backed away from me, leaving me to collapse onto my side, breathing hard.

"W-what the hell are you?!" He screamed, stopping a few meters away

I was unable to answer him, too busy being completely out of breath to be able to speak. I won't lie, the look of complete horror in his eyes made me feel like a freak. Luckily, pained as she was, Tigress came to my rescue.

"She's a Xing Warrior. A being of light, destined to defeat evil once and for all," she said

He wasn't completely sold on the notion, but it seemed he wasn't going to argue. Instead, he continued to stare at me for the longest time. After a minute, I simply lowered my eyes to the ground, feeling like the two headed circus freak. When I had re-gained my breath, I sat back up placed both hands on Tigress' injured shoulder.

"Star, wait! You just healed him, are you sure you can heal me too?" Tigress asked, frantically

"I'll be fine, you aren't hurt so bad. Just relax," I replied

I then began to focus my energy again. I could feel it being transferred out of my hand and into Tigress' shoulder. As soon as this began to happen, her face took on a look of bliss.

"Just like a massage…just like when Sky healed me for the first time," She said

I sighed, and removed my hands as I finished, "Yeah, he was good at healing"

"I never told you that story, did I?" She asked, as I finished

"No, I don't believe you did"

"Well, it was the day he arrived when I was hurt. It was just a normal day of training, and it was an especially warm day, so we had left the front gate open to let a breeze flow through the courtyard. Around mid-day, we spotted someone ascending the stairs to the palace. Someone who resembled a great enemy we would have to face in the future, but we weren't aware of him escaping prison, so we hid, out of sight, and waited to ambush," She began

"I bet you were met with a surprise," I teased, letting out a giggle

"That's putting it lightly. I was the first to attack, and pinned him down in a position I thought was unbreakable, but he threw me off like I was nothing. The rest of the five immediately surrounded him, and together we threatened him, though I see now that none of us could have delivered on our threats, even if he was who we thought he was. He quickly explained to us that he was not, though, and with a voice like a child's, yet seemingly made of silk, he calmed us. He explained that he was there to learn Kung Fu from Master Shifu. Normally, we don't let just anyone walk in and train at the palace, but there was something special about him. We all wanted to give him a chance, but to do that, he would have to prove himself to Shifu, which isn't easy considering Shifu won't simply sit down and be shown skill. He has to see skill where he isn't looking for it," Tigress continued

"You mean that tradition of having to beat one of the furious five to train at the palace was made up?" I asked, astounded

"Yes, but you didn't hear it from me," Tigress joked, "Anyways, Shifu was due to be in the courtyard in barely any time, so we told him he would have to last one minute against the warrior of his choice, and he chose me. Within moments, I was defeated, and injured. I felt so ashamed to have been beaten so easily, but then, the young boy showed great tact and honor. He tended to my injuries, and took full responsibility when confronted by Shifu. That night, it was decided that he would be welcome at the palace, and he would train under my supervision,"

"Whoa, wait, you mean YOU trained Sky?" I asked, once again amazed by this information

"I did, though he taught me a good few things as well. A few days later, it became obvious that with a broken rib cage, I would unable to compete in the tournament to reveal the identity of the Dragon Warrior. I was so upset, but then Sky did something amazing! All he did was place two glowing fingers on the wound, and in a few minutes of blissful healing, I was better than ever, but Sky nearly passed out. He was so young then, and his Xing Energy wasn't as strong as it is now. Healing that one broken bone took so much energy from him, but he did it anyways for me. It was that day that I knew he would be one of my closest friends. He would be my brother. And he has healed me a great many times since then," She said, smiling

"Wow…I wish I had known him back then," I replied

"He was a great man. Without him, none of us would be here,"

We sat in silence for a few moments after that. What a great man, he was, and without him, my father would never have been brought to the palace to meet my mother, and I would not have ever been conceived. Now he's gone, and so is everyone else. At this thought, my eyes fell.

"So, I guess Po really hasn't mastered Chi yet," I said, breaking the silence

Her eyes fell, "No. No, I suppose not,"

 _So how do we defeat Kai?_ Never more than right then had I ever needed guidance. For the first time ever, we were against an opponent whom we could not defeat, and for the first time ever, we were without hope. Unable to wrap my head around our situation, I laid back on the soft, grassy hill and stared up into the night sky. The stars were beautiful, and vibrant. There was just the right amount of clouds to be illuminated by the blue glow, and it made the view divine.

"I guess it won't be so long before I'm with my dad again," I stated, as a tear rolled off my cheek

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tigress' mouth open to speak, but no sound came out. A few moments later, she stood and walked off, saying she needed to speak to Po. I didn't respond; I only laid on the ground and enjoyed the view for as long as I could before it was gone. My mind kept trying to wonder to the loss of my family, and the hopelessness of the situation, but I refused to let it. I only allowed myself to think about enjoying the moment; the grass, the air, the sky, because I knew I wouldn't get another chance. Finally, a voice broke the silence.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

I lifted my head off the ground to find the source of the voice, only to have my eyes fall on Arthur.

"What?" I asked

"The sky is so dark, but even a single star up there makes it worth staring," He replied. I was silent; I didn't understand, "I'm sorry for how I acted. I was frightened by your abilities, but that shouldn't have altered how I saw you as a person. There was one thing about you I didn't understand, but there are too many good things sparkling in you for me to focus on the black,"

His words stunned me. Nobody had ever spoken to me in such a way; nobody had the nerve. They were either scared of my father, or scared of me because they knew what I could do if they hurt me, but this boy had so much confidence, and so little fear. He either thought there was no chance of himself messing up, or liked me so much that he couldn't imagine hurting me. Either way, the blush on my cheeks was obvious.

"My mom used to tell me that every night. That so long as one star shined up there, the sky never lost its beauty, so there was always a reason to look. So, as long as one hope, one little glimmer, still exists here, there will always be a reason to keep fighting," He said, placing a hand on my shoulder

As he said this, the sun began to rise. It was strange; on this mountain, it seemed to remain dark until the rays of the sun suddenly burst over the surrounding rocky terrain. Almost as soon as it did, signaling morning, Po and Tigress came running back into the village, shouting for all the panda's in town to gather. Curiosity drove us all to do as he said, and we ended up meeting near the entrance to the village, in front of a large building. All our attention was immediately on Po as he began to speak.

"Listen, everyone. I know I may not be a master of Chi, but with all of your help, I still may be able to defeat Kai," He said, to all of our surprise

"But Po, he's on his way now. How could any of us be any use? We can't be like you," one of the pandas shouted from the crowd

"I know, and I may not be able to turn you into me. But if you are willing, I may be able to turn you, into you," He replied, confusing us all, "If I can get you all ready, and hone the skills you already have, then you will be able to distract Kai's warriors long enough for me to sneak up and take care of him with the Wuxi Finger Hold,"

With much discussion, many doubts, and lots of persuasion, Po and Tigress were able to convince us that we could defeat Kai if we worked together. I had faced Kai's zombies before, and knew for a fact I could handle them when the time came, but my fear was of Kai himself. If he came after me, and absorbed my Chi to back up what he already has, I feared he would be unstoppable. But I was still willing to work, and prepare to fight for the Pandas, and fight to rid the world of Kai. With everyone convinced, the training began.

 **I am so sorry for the wait, my dear nobody reading the story, but you would not believe the writer's block which has hit me. I have written and deleted this chapter so many times over to find something which fits to lead into the training montage from the movie, and this is the best I've got. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but it's taking me too long to finish this and I've got another fanfic to begin; a longer one, which I'm hoping will just be a continuous story with which I can just keep writing. Well, review!**


	49. Chapter 49

**And I'm moving right back into it. I've gotta get this story done, it's driving me nuts. We're gonna be moving into the last two or three chapters here, I think. I'm gonna skip through the training montage, seeing as writing in a montage would be quite difficult. Enjoy!**

Chapter 21

Over the next few days, Po instructed us as if he had been a teacher for his entire life. With each panda, he taught them to hone skills they already had. Be them the ability to hug hard enough to split a tree, or simply roll down a hill, every skill was given some combat application to be used in an organized assault against Kai and his minions. Po had me train on my own, and prepare to fight in any way I could, while protecting those who couldn't. The young ones, and the still very fatigued Arthur. The ones who would have no way of defending themselves in a straight up fight against these creatures. Every day, I could feel Kai's energy getting closer to us. He was taking his sweet time, but the day he arrived was sooner upon us than we thought. I didn't even know he was so close; I assumed his energy was just that massive. But when we heard the sound of stone scarping against metal, it became clear.

"He's here," Tigress said, speaking what we all were thinking

Po immediately ordered us all to our places. I was placed with all of the young ones, and ordered to protect them if any of the jade warriors came too close. Po stood in the front gate of the secret village, waiting for kai to arrive, and it seemed he was quite the fan of theatrics. I felt the mountain shake as he made his entrance, and when the shaking stopped, I could hear Po fangirl over his dramatic entrance. The conversation which followed made me cringe, but I had to focus on the task at hand. The young ones and I took our position on a second-story balcony, where they waited to launch firecrackers at the Jade Warriors.

"Alright kids, you know what you need to do. I'll keep you safe, just keep those firecrackers going," I said, reassuring them in hopes of ridding them of any doubts they may have had

In response, they all nodded, and each of them had a smile on their faces. They seemed to be more excited and thrilled by this danger than they were scared of it. With everyone in position, I took my Tiger Hooks in hand and prepared for the coming battle. It all began when a visible green glow was emitted from the entrance of the village, and when the order of attack was given from Kai, Po came running into the village with an army of Jade Warriors behind him. The first of them to be taken out was Crane, who was crushed in mid-air by flying pandas. Next, Po led them over a roof and held them in place while three other pandas rolled down the hill and knocked a good portion of the zombies down off the roof. The zombies were then led out of sight.

My focus switched over to the small little flat in front of the building we were placed in. I saw Tigress enter the flat and engage one of the Jade Warriors in straight forward combat, followed by one of the young ones running out after her with Po's Tigress Action Figure in hand. I was impressed by the way Tigress was then able to continue fighting the Jade Warrior while always moving the little panda out of danger's way. Eventually, their combat led directly in front of the building we were waiting in; the perfect time to strike.

"Dumpling Squad, attack!" I shouted

Without any time to find where the noise had come from, any of the nearby enemies were his with a flurry of firecrackers. Our assault was perfect; everything was going right. One of the dumpling kickers managed to get a firecracker inside the mouth of the warrior which used to be Master Bear. I couldn't help but have a wide smile across my face. In my head, I was already celebrating our victory before it even happened. Needless to say, this was a mistake. For a brief moment, I put my guard down, and in that exact moment, two of the Jade Warriors had managed to enter the building and were making their way to us.

"Star!" one of the kids shouted

I quickly turned just in time to see the two warriors rushing toward us. I had a mere moment to act, and quickly shoved all of the children out of the way. Both of the jade warriors rammed into me, tackling me down and to my dismay, out of the building. We tumbled off the balcony and landed on the stone flat with me on bottom. My head was spinning from the impact, but I had now time to gather myself. I had to quickly throw off the two Jade Warriors laying on top of me. When they were off, I quickly got to my feet and took my combat stance. When I was finally able to get a good look at the two warriors I faced, I was filled with dread. Standing before me, in the form of a panther and a tiger, was my father and Sky. The realization hit me like a brick: I would have to face my mentors.

They didn't share my shock, or hesitation. They quickly engaged me in hand-to-hand combat. There was so little I could do to dodge their attacks; they were so fast, even without the use of their Xing Energy. Eventually, they found a breach in my defense, and they turned that one flaw into my defeat. They were hitting me from every angle, causing me immense pain, and not giving me any time to retaliate. When they finally knocked me off my feet, they didn't let me fall softly. I was knocked into the air and in a very coordinated move, the both kicked me in the stomach, knocking me back and into the ground. I slid for a good few meters before sopping against the building where all the children were watching. I glanced up at them to see a look of horror on their faces; they were watching me get defeated, and they were scared.

 _I can't be beaten…not now. They need me, now. They need me to step up and fight…I have to fight. But I can't. I can't fight my father, or Sky. They're too strong._

"Get up," I heard above me. When I looked, I saw that they were all standing over me, with looks of hope on their faces, "We believe in you"

"I'm sorry…I can't beat them," I replied, lowering my eyes

"Yes you can," I heard a deeper voice say; the voice of Arthur, "And you will, because we need you to"

 _He believes in me, too? After all he's seen, all the failures by me he has witnessed? Maybe he's right. He is right! I have to fight, and I have to win!_

With renewed vigor, I stood from my place on the ground and took my fighting stance once again. The two Jade Warriors quickly re-engaged me, but this time I was much more aggressive. I ducked under the two punches they attempted to hit me with and slid behind them, grabbing their tails in the process. They looked back at me with little emotion in their green glowing eyes, but had no further time to act as I began to swing them around and slam them together by their tails before throwing them clear across the flat and into another building.

A few moments later, they emerged from the building, and returned to their stances. This time, I met their readiness to fight, but the fight did not continue. The bodies of the Jade Warriors returned to the small glowing orbs, and all flew in the direction of the entrance of town. This filled me with hope, and joy.

"Have we won?" I asked, only to myself, and without any answer everyone ran towards the entrance of town

Almost as soon as the front gate was in sight, it shattered into rubble as the body of Po came flying through, and he landed painfully in front of us. We all rushed to his aid, but froze when he spoke chilling words.

"I was wrong. I'm sorry…run, run!"

None of us moved, for it was too late. We watched as Kai leaped from far away, and landed directly behind Po, where he laid on the ground. We all looked on with fear as Kai chuckled, while grabbing the Jade Pendant hanging around his neck and holding it up for us all to see.

"So, Oogway, this was the one destined to stop me?" he asked sarcastically, "I will have his Chi, and then all of theirs!"

With one mighty throw of his left blade, he carved a fished in the stone around all of us, trapping us where we were so we could not go anywhere. Po looked back at us with nothing but fear and sorrow in his eyes. We all stared back at him with the same look in ours.

"And you," Kai continued, and chuckled, "You really thought you could send me back to the spirit realm?"

With those words, a new look overtook Po's face. Not one of fear, but one of intense thought. He seemed to have some sort of idea. Kai let out another chuckle.

"You are just a stupid mortal," He said, causing Po's face to take on a look of realization

"It only works on mortals…" Po said, and with a smile, he stood and faced kai, "You're right, I can't send you there. But I can take you there-what's that?!"

Po's sudden outburst and pointing in to the distance fooled us all. Each of us looked off into the distance, and when we looked back, Po was tangled around Kai, and had himself in the Wuxi finger hold.

"Po!" Tigress exclaimed

"Son!" Lee Chan screamed

Without so much as a goodbye, Po used the ancient technique on himself and in a flash of spinning energy, and light, he and Kai were gone. We all ran to the swirling dome of Chi in hopes of somehow saving him, but we were too late. He was gone, and all that was left were glowing, spinning peach tree pedals organized in the shape of the Yin-Yang symbol. Mr. Ping and Lee Chan ran to the glowing pedals, urgently searching for their son.

"What happened? Where's Po?" Lee Chan asked

"He took Kai away…he saved us," Tigress replied

After a moment of silence, Mr. Ping spoke, "He saved us, but who's saving him?"

We were then silent. We all watched the glowing pedals, and knew that the unspoken truth was that the glow meant that Po was still alright. We were all happy for this, until a few minutes later when the glow began to fade.

"Come on, son. Fight!" Lee Chan exclaimed

Another few moments passed, and Lee Chan seemed to come to a single conclusion, "We have to help him. We have to help him! Okay, everyone, gather around. That's it, come in close. Come on, we can do this!" he said, before folding his hands together in front of him

We all knew what he was trying to do; we were going to give Po our Chi and help him defeat Kai. We all mimicked Lee Chan's movements, and listened to every word he spoke.

"Po, you taught us who we were meant to be. A father," he said, and outstretched his hand toward the peach pedals

"A friend," said Tigress, extending her hand ass well

One by one, the pandas began to join in.

"A dumpling kicker"

"A little fighting machine"

"A hugger"

"A Xing," I said, and extended my hand as well

"A Nunchuk Chick"

"Stripy Baby"

"A family," Said Mr. Ping, the last to outstretch his hand

As I focused, I felt a new energy begin to flow, and one by one, all of our extended hands began to glow with Chi energy. As the energy passed from us and into the circle of pedals, the pedals began to once again glow brightly and swirl. They were glowing even brighter than before when we all finally stopped, and the glow was no longer fading. A few minutes later, all of the masters of China began being launched from the circle, all of the people Kai had absorbed came back, landing all around us and no longer as Jade Zombies. I watched and waited, and when the ones I was waiting for finally appeared, I ran to him.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, and leaped into his arms before he knew what had happened

He held me for a good long while, but something wasn't right. One of the masters didn't return.

"Have you seen Po?" Tigress asked

"He's not here," Viper replied

"Po? Po! Why isn't he back?" Mr. Ping asked

We all stood and stared for a good while, waiting for something to happen. When something finally did, it was spectacular. All of the pedals spiraled into the air, and began swirling around a single point high above our heads. From that point, Po emerged! He was glowing, and hovering in the air, wearing silver robes and a golden cape. He looked like he was a god! He was holding a beautiful Jade Staff with a Yin-Yang symbol on the top…he was truly the dragon warrior. Everyone cheered for him in amazement.

"Po!" Lee Chan exclaimed in joy

"You can fly!" Mr. Ping said, voicing his excitement

Almost on que of Mr. Ping's words, the glow from the pedals disappeared, and in an instant, Po's robes and cape returned to his standard pants. The only thing that remained was the jade staff. With all of that gone, Po came crashing down to the earth, painfully landing and looking up at all of us.

"Dad? Dad? Dads!" Po exclaimed upon seeing his two dads, and they responded by tackling him into a hug

"Don't you ever go disappearing in pedals ever again!" Mr. Ping commanded

"We thought we lost you!" Lee Chan exclaimed

Po broke the hug, then said, "No, you saved me. You all did. Now come one over here!" he exclaimed, opening his arms to all of us

We readily rushed in for the group hug, all of us happy and celebrating our victory. When we broke the hug, Shifu moved forward to speak to Po.

"Master Shifu!" Po exclaimed

"The student had truly become the te-wait, where did you get that?" Shifu asked, motioning to his new staff

"Oh, Master Oogway gave it to me in the spirit realm," Po replied

"Of course he did," Shifu said, looking frustrated

"I think I mastered Chi," Po added

"Of course you did," Shifu replied, laying his face in his hand, "Can you teach me?"

Po smiled at the question, but a dark, booming voice stopped all celebrations. The voice came from directly next to me.

"You won't get the chance! For your true worst enemy has returned!"

I looked to see the enemy I dreaded most: Hei'an. When Po defeated kai, he must have released Darkness as well. Although, he looked a little fatigued. On a reaction of pure instinct, I screamed and spin-kicked him away, knocking him a few meters back and causing him to land on his face. The only reason my attack worked, in my head, was that I caught him off guard.

"Po, you've mastered Chi! You can defeat Hei'an!" Monkey exclaimed shoving Po forward

"It is not his destiny to defeat Darkness. It is theirs," Shifu said, pointing to me, Sky, and Dad, who had both taken their places beside me

All of the pandas cleared away, and gave us room, while Hei'an stood back up.

"How dare you…you little bitch. I'll teach you a lesson!" He exclaimed in rage

"Ready!" Sky exclaimed, signaling us two to prepare for our final attack

I couldn't help but get a malicious grin on my face as I got into my position and began charging up every ounce of energy I could, while feeling the energy of my two counterparts flowing into me and pooling in my core. Hei'an seemed to be frozen; behind his hard demeanor, it seemed he was tired, and knew this was the end for him. When we had enough energy, we began the chant.

"With Light, Wisdom, and Strength, the darkness will be lit. To end the battle, for love and freedom, Xing Trident of War!" We shouted, and I gave Dad and Sky each a piece of the energy

With the attack ready, we fired. Our execution was perfect, and the attack hit him dead in the chest. His body began to glow with energy, and within moments, it burst into a golden dust, which then flowed back together into the form of some sort of spirit, but not in the shape of any animal I'd ever seen before. It had no fur; just a tan skin, and wore strange robes which weren't silk. He had hair, and eyebrows, and a beard, but no other fur or anything which I could find. With a look of thanks, he bowed to us, and on instinct I bowed back respectfully, along with Dad and Sky, before he vanished completely.

"Who was that?" I asked

"I wish I could say," Dad replied

"That was Juan, brother of Guang, the first Xing. He is now free of the hold of darkness, and can rest peacefully in the spirit realm," Sky stated

"You mean, it's over? We won?" I asked

"Yes. Our journey is over"

The journey is over. We had won! Never before had I been so happy. The journey of the Xing had finally come to a close.

THE END


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